Pennsylvania Institutional Law

The Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project (PILP) is a non-profit legal organization established in 1981, becoming an independent entity in 1995. It is dedicated to protecting and advancing the constitutional and civil rights of people incarcerated and institutionalized in Pennsylvania. PILP provides free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals whose rights have been violated within institutions, operating under income and geographic guidelines.

The organization offers various services, including direct representation in individual civil cases, class representation for groups with common problems, and group representation for low-income organizations concerned with institutional issues. PILP also engages in legislative and administrative advocacy, tracking initiatives and advocating for clients' perspectives, and provides information and referrals. The firm addresses a range of issues, such as restrictive visitation policies, placement of mentally ill inmates in solitary confinement, prolonged shackling, excessive use of force, sexual assault, prison overcrowding, freedom of religion, unlawful shackling during childbirth, and access to medication for opioid use disorder. PILP operates from three offices located in Philadelphia, Lewisburg, and Pittsburgh.