Albert (Saalih) Santana Jr. is a self-taught legal advocate, educator, author, and community leader with over fifteen years of experience navigating the U.S. criminal justice system on behalf of himself and others. Incarcerated at Green Haven Correctional Facility, Albert has built an extraordinary record of legal scholarship, advocacy, and service — earning the trust of both fellow incarcerated individuals and outside legal professionals alike. Albert's core legal strengths lie in legal research, case analysis, and the editing and revision of legal writings.
Albert earned an Associate's degree from Columbia-Greene Community College through the Hudson Link Program, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and the distinction of class valedictorian. He subsequently enrolled in the bachelor's degree program at SUNY New Paltz and has earned six credits through Columbia University. His academic record reflects an unwavering commitment to intellectual rigor and lifelong learning.
In addition to his legal work, Albert has served for nine years as the Imam for the Muslim community at Green Haven Correctional Facility, a community of approximately 200 men. In this role, he delivers Friday sermons, provides extensive peer counseling, organizes and manages the community's fundraising activities and budget, and has developed a comprehensive educational curriculum. He teaches several classes per week, including basic and advanced Arabic, drug and alcohol awareness, and foundational Islamic beliefs. A self-taught Arabic scholar, Albert taught himself to read and write Arabic fluently and has translated several books from Arabic to English, with his translations verified by Muslim scholars. His deep command of both languages has made him an invaluable resource for his community and beyond.
Albert is the co-author of the Religious Freedom in Prison chapter in the Jailhouse Lawyers Manual and the founder of Makhraj Publishing, through which he authored and published A Beautiful Way Out From the Prison of the Believer: Sincere Advice for the Incarcerated Muslims.