Safety and Sentencing Prison Program Crime Survivors for Community Safety Beyond Barriers

How To

Partnership for Safety and Justice (formerly Western Prison Project) has developed handy skills sheets on how to create changes in our criminal justice system. Materials created before October, 2006 still have our previous name and logo.

7 Tips for Your Letter to the Editor

Make sure your letter is short and concise (and within the word limit). Type your letter, or print clearly. Keep it to one main idea, not lots of different ideas. Stick with three or four short paragraphs.

5 Tips for a Persuasive Letter to the Editor (2005)

Make sure your letter is short and concise (about 100-250 words).
You only need one key message, and a hook to make it relevant to a contemporary issue.

10 Tips for an Effective Letter to Your Legislator

Open letter with “Dear State Representative _______, or Dear State Senator_______” Mention immediately if you are a constituent. (“As a resident of District xx, I…”)

9 Tips for Phone Lobbying Your Legislator

Dial the number. Expect a staff person or a message machine to take the call.
Be courteous and respectful of them and all their staff. Do not argue.

10 Tips for Effective Testimony

Write your testimony out in advance, as if you’re writing a one page letter addressed “Dear Committee Members.” If you don’t plan to read your letter word for word, make a list of the points you’ll cover to glance at.
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