A Voice
Beyond the wall
We are a platform for human connection, advocacy, and truth. Whether you want to write to an incarcerated individual, find a meaningful relationship, share your story with the world, or learn about your rights — you have found the right place.
About Us
Our Mission
Founded on a radical belief in human dignity, Back Against the Bars fights for the incarcerated — and the families waiting on the outside.
Back Against the Bars advocates for the rights and humanity of incarcerated people and the families they leave behind.
We amplify voices of the incarcerated, connecting them to resources, relationships, and a world that sees their full humanity. Our work spans education, publication, and direct legal advocacy.
From The Bar Street Journal to our K2 class action campaign, we meet people where they are, behind the bars, and fight alongside them for the rights and dignity they deserve.
Our Programs
Fighting for a second chance for those sentenced as children and left behind by the system.
We Advocate For Those Whose Back Is Against The Bar
The bar Street Journal
Plans & Programs
One full issue, mailed straight to their facility
No commitment — perfect to try it first
A meaningful surprise in their mail call
4 issues delivered automatically, one a week
Never reorder — it just arrives
Never reorder — it just arrives
8 issues delivered over two months, fully hands-off
Best balance of value and flexibility
Keeps them connected, week after week
12 issues delivered — our lowest cost per issue
Three months of uninterrupted delivery
Set it once, covered all season
Why Connection Behind Bars Matters
Isolation is one of the most devastating aspects of incarceration. Research consistently shows that maintaining meaningful relationships reduces recidivism, improves mental health, and supports successful reentry into society.
The reality is stark:
- Over 10,000 individuals are currently serving juvenile life without parole sentences across the United States.
- Michigan alone has had more children sentenced to life without parole than any other state in the country.
- 70% of those sentenced to life without parole as juveniles in Michigan are Black — despite Black children making up only 16% of the state's youth population.
- Many of these individuals have had no meaningful outside contact for decades.
A letter can change a life. A connection can restore hope. A platform like ours can change the conversation.
Love Through the Bars
Some people have been waiting for connection their entire adult lives — not because no one cared, but because a courtroom decision made when they were a teenager put walls between them and the world.
Love Through the Bars is about those people. It is about the ones who are now in their 30s, 40s, and 50s — who grew up inside a prison system, who became adults without ever experiencing what most of us take for granted: a relationship, a hand to hold, someone who chooses you.
This page is a space for real love. Not the dramatized kind. Not the sensationalized kind. The quiet, persistent, letter-by-letter kind that survives distance, time, and circumstance.
Your Story Is Bigger Than Your Sentence
Every person behind bars has a story that does not begin or end with their crime. They have families, dreams, regrets, growth, and humanity. And for too long, those stories have gone untold — buried beneath a case number and a sentence length.
This page exists to change that.
Back Against the Bars invites incarcerated individuals, their families, and their advocates to share their stories with the world. Not just to be heard — but to shift the way society sees the people it has locked away, especially those who were locked away as children.
Families • Incarcerated Individuals • Advocates
Share your Story
K2 Class Action Lawsuit
K2 Second-Hand Smoke Class Action
This section allows you to contribute on behalf of an inmate seeking to participate in an ongoing class action concerning second-hand smoke exposure within state and federal correctional facilities. To submit a request, please complete the form below with the inmate’s details and your selected contribution amount.
The Bar Street Journal
Set it once and never miss an issue. Our recurring subscriptions deliver The Bar Street Journal directly to your loved one’s facility on a regular schedule — no need to reorder. Pick the plan that fits you below.
Note below the cards:
All subscriptions renew automatically at the listed price until cancelled. You can cancel or manage your plan anytime from your account or by contacting us. See our Refund & Cancellation Policy for full details.
Prefer a one-time order? You can also purchase a single issue for $25.
Real Words From Those We've Touched
Ready to Make a Difference?
Pre-subscribing takes less than two minutes. Lock in your spot before July 1st and be among the first to access our full suite of connection services — pen pals, matchmaking, and story features.