Letters from the Inside

Catalyst Montana's Justice Initiative program launched a new effort to collect and respond to letters from incarcerated people across Montana. 

Incarceration is designed to isolate individuals physically, emotionally, and socially. For many people behind bars, receiving mail may be one of the only consistent connections to the outside world.

Advocacy for incarcerated people is essential because those inside are often excluded from public discourse, policy conversations, and civic life, despite being directly impacted by decisions made at every level of government.

Montana's incarcerated population experiences significant barriers to healthcare, mental health support, family connection, and reentry resources. When people are silenced or forgotten, harm deepens.  

By reading, responding to, and honoring these letters, we are practicing advocacy rooted in presence and dignity. We are listening to lived experiences, building relationships, and pushing back against systems that rely on invisibility to function. 

This work reminds us that justice must include those most impacted, even and especially when they are out of sight.