Project Type: Legal Research and Writing; Public Legal Education
Fields of Law: Prison law, criminal law, HIV criminalization and non-disclosure.
Positions Available: 1-2 students
About PASAN
PASAN is a community-based prisoner health and harm reduction organization that provides support, education and advocacy to prisoners and ex-prisoners across Canada. PASAN provides individual support services such as individual support and counselling, case management, housing supports, and much more. Additionally, PASAN provides support to community groups across Ontario.
Project Details
The development of 1 – 3 Know Your Rights fact sheets to be distributed to prisoners in federal institutions. The topics of these fact sheets will be on the following: Class Action Lawsuits; Prison Needle Exchange Program and Prison Overdose Prevention Sites; Structured Intervention Units (formally segregation); and/or HIV and Hep C Disclosure. The student’s research will then transformed into detailed plain language resources.
Role of Student Volunteer(s)
To research and develop fact sheets based on the topics above so they are accessible for prisoners and approved by CSC. The research will be reviewed and approved by the lawyer supervisor.
Is A Work Plan Required For This Position?
No.
If yes, the student(s) must reach out to the lawyer supervisor, draft a work plan, and submit it by email to the Program Coordinator and the lawyer supervisor by November 1st at the latest. Please note that workplans are required for all legal research and writing projects.
What Type Of Training Will the Organization Provide?
Note: All first year PBSC volunteers and all volunteers working on research projects must also attend a PBSC/Thomson Reuters legal research strategies workshop.
Prison Health 101 by the organization.
How Many Hours Per Week Will the Student Volunteer(s) Be Expected to Volunteer?
3-5 hours per week.
Will The Student(s) Be Expected To Show Up For Regular Shifts Each Week?
Flexible, placement is expected to be virtual.
Is Workspace Provided For the Student Volunteer(s)?
No.
Requirements and Expectations
No, but if a student is bilingual it is an asset as the resources could be translated in French for prisoners who speak French.