Resources for practice, learning and connection.
A searchable library of meditation, Buddhist teachings, mindfulness, reentry, family support, volunteer education and advocacy resources.
Buddhist Peace Fellowship
A socially engaged Buddhist organization connecting practice to justice work, including prison ministry and abolition-adjacent programming.
For: General Public
Prison Policy Initiative
Independent research and data on incarceration in the U.S., widely cited in grant writing and advocacy work.
For: General Public
Dharma Talks for Difficult Days
A rotating playlist of short talks addressing anger, fear, and impatience, pulled from teachers across Buddhist traditions.
For: People Currently Incarcerated
National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-7233, available 24/7 in all 50 states, with support for family members navigating a partner's incarceration or return home.
For: Families
Root & Rebound Reentry Guides
Free, plain-language legal guides on record clearance, housing rights, and employment rights for people coming home.
For: Returning Citizens
Tricycle: The Buddhist Review
Articles, teacher talks, and beginner explainers on core Buddhist concepts. A good start-here for volunteers new to the tradition.
For: Volunteers
Mindful.org
Secular mindfulness articles, practices, and research summaries. Useful for Mindful Prisons facilitators looking for supplemental material by month or theme.
For: Volunteers
Prison Mindfulness Institute: Volunteer Orientation
Background on what it actually takes to bring contemplative practice into a correctional setting, from a national organization doing similar work.
For: Volunteers
findhelp.org
A free, searchable directory of local social services (food, housing, healthcare, financial assistance, and more) by zip code, covering all 50 states. The single best search-your-situation starting point for anyone who needs help finding a local resource we don't have listed.
For: General Public
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 anywhere in the U.S. for free, confidential crisis support, available 24/7.
For: General Public
90-Day Reentry Checklist
A printable checklist covering ID, housing, benefits, and employment steps for the first three months home.
For: Returning Citizens
Pema Chödrön: Getting Unstuck
Talks on working with difficult emotions using Buddhist psychology. Frequently used in Buddhist Pathways sessions as discussion material.
For: General Public
Chair Yoga for Small Spaces
A short guided video sequence that works in a cell or a small dayroom, no mat required.
For: People Currently Incarcerated
Chair Yoga for Small Spaces
A short guided video sequence that works in a cell or a small dayroom, no mat required.
For: People Currently Incarcerated
Center for Mindful Self-Compassion: Free Guided Practices
Structured self-compassion exercises developed by clinical researchers. Fits well with Month 3 (Emotions) and Month 7 (Identity and Healing) of the Mindful Prisons curriculum.
For: General Public
National Reentry Resource Center: Reentry Services Directory
Federally maintained, state-by-state directory connecting formerly incarcerated people with housing, employment, and family services near them.
For: Returning Citizens
Sesame Street: Little Children Big Challenges — Incarceration
Free, age-appropriate videos and printable materials to help young children understand a parent's incarceration.
For: Families
BFP Breath and Body Practice Guide
A short, printable breathing practice sangha members can use in a cell, a dorm, or a waiting room. No equipment, no noise, no permission slip needed.
For: People Currently Incarcerated
Tara Brach's Guided Meditations
Free talks and meditations focused on self-compassion and working with difficult emotions. Widely used in trauma-informed settings.
For: General Public
Second Chance Guide: State-by-State Directory
A manually verified, state-by-state directory of housing, employment, legal aid, and financial assistance programs across all 50 states.
For: Returning Citizens
HUD Reentry Housing Resources
Federal housing resources and program listings specifically for people leaving incarceration, organized by state.
For: Returning Citizens
Prison Yoga Project
Trauma-informed yoga curriculum built specifically for correctional settings, with a free downloadable manual for facilitators.
For: Volunteers
UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center Guided Meditations
Short, free audio meditations from a research university's mindfulness center.
For: General Public
National Reentry Resource Center: Reentry Services Directory
A federally maintained directory of local reentry service providers covering housing, employment, and family reunification across the country.
For: Returning Citizens
Insight Timer
Free guided meditations, timers, and talks from teachers around the world. A solid entry point for anyone building a daily practice, inside or outside.
For: General Public
National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated
National directory of programs supporting children and family members of incarcerated people, searchable by state.
For: Families
Writing Letters That Actually Land
Practical tips for family members writing to someone inside, covering tone, frequency, and what to avoid.
For: Families
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Overview
A plain-language explainer on the MBSR model, the clinical backbone of most secular mindfulness curricula used in correctional settings.
For: Volunteers
Tara Brach's Guided Meditations
Free talks and meditations focused on self-compassion and working with difficult emotions. Widely used in trauma-informed settings.
For: General Public
Restorative Justice Coalition
Resources and network access for organizations working on restorative, non-punitive approaches to harm and conflict.
For: General Public
BFP Humanizing Language Card
A quick-reference card on humanizing language for writing and talking about people impacted by incarceration, to be used across Boundless Freedom Project materials.
For: Volunteers
National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated
The largest U.S. clearinghouse focused specifically on children and families affected by a loved one's incarceration, with a searchable program directory.
For: Families
90-Day Reentry Checklist
A printable checklist covering ID, housing, benefits, and employment steps for the first three months home.
For: Returning Citizens
211
Dial 211 or visit 211.org to reach a live local referral line covering housing, food, and utility assistance, available nationwide.
For: General Public
Anti-Recidivism Coalition
A California-based peer organization led by formerly incarcerated people, working on reentry support and policy advocacy.
For: General Public
UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center Guided Meditations
Short, free audio meditations from a research university's mindfulness center. Good for beginners who want something grounded in evidence, not vibes.
For: General Public
Prison Dharma: Teachings for Incarcerated Practitioners
A collection of dharma talks written specifically for people practicing behind bars, addressing isolation, anger, and impermanence in a locked environment.
For: People Currently Incarcerated
Second Chance Guide
A manually verified, state-by-state directory of housing, employment, legal aid, and financial resources for people coming home from incarceration.
For: Returning Citizens
Writing Letters That Actually Land: A Guide for Families
Practical tips for family members writing to someone inside, covering tone, frequency, and what to avoid.
For: Families