This will open up a page of small photos, listing their name and what state they are from. Many states you can look up crimes and additional information on the inmates by goingto http://meet-an-inmate.com/locator/index.html. How do I go about getting one of your brochures to an inmate? No. My WriteAPrisoner.com account was suspended by you. Our site is the perfect place to write a prisoner or find new prison pen pals who are incarcerated inmates in prisons in the United States. Inmates have been turning to our WriteAPrisoner.com program since its inception in 2000 to find mentors, legal aid, educational opportunities, employment upon release, counseling, housing options, and so much more. What if I'm not 18- Can I still write a prisoner or use your service? Reasons for rejections may include, but not be limited to, the user is attempting to use it to contact someone they already know, the return address is incorrect, some of the content included may be likely to get the mail rejected by the institution, more emails sent than allowed, message is longer than permitted, and a host of other possibilities. Never send anything laminated (polaroid photos, etc. Finally, locating and communicating with a prison pen pal can benefit society as well. If you send your first message to an inmate via our email forwarding option, the inmate will be given your postal address and the email you used to register. What if I'm not 18, can I still write a prisoner? Can I write to an inmate in any language? Correspondence has brought me a sense of peace. . What the Write A Prisoner Site Does Best: If you want to find out more about the community programs that prisons run for their inmates, Write A Prisoner is a great resource. and public (crime, release date, etc.) The inmate can name anyone they want, including an individual who is NOT related to them. Locate incarcerated friends and family not listed on our website. I have some old books, but I'm worried that they are not in good enough shape to donate. You must write to or call the Department of Corrections superintendent's office at the prison where the inmate is housed. Viewers report being put-off by profiles that seek romance. Prison pen-palsare inmates who exchange letters with non-incarceratedpen-pals. Can I send your inmates commercial advertisements? According to the site, the goal is to work with states' departments of corrections to ensure that the First Amendment rights of inmates are protected. Read more here. Are there any restrictions to be aware of when writing a profile? I would like for it to be an option but sadly it's not. For cash/walk-in transactions using MoneyGram, a maximum limit is set at $5,000 per transaction. Although we are unable to offer our email forwarding service to inmates outside of the United States, all other benefits apply. The following is a typical disclaimer just to cover ourselves legally. As an example: If an inmate is serving a sentence for a crime of theft and owes the county $500 in costs/fees and $100 in restitution to the victim of the crime. You may even be able to arrange for a care package to be created for someone about to be released. Since then, we have expanded our services to include many features aimed directly toward reducing recidivism and raising awareness. My child is an inmate at a Department of Corrections state prison. WriteAPrisoner.com has compiled this section to help you recognize and report inmate fraud: Detecting & Reporting Mail Fraud. I never received my confirmation email from WriteAPrisoner.com. Log in to your email, and check to see if you have a folder titled "spam" or "junk." How is an inmate's next-of-kin or emergency contact identified? The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has upheld inmates' right to receive e-mail printouts from online pen pals. Who can post a reintegration profile on your website? Don't be shy, give it a try! By signing up as a Pen Pal, you understand that you are obligating yourself to witness to a prisoner via regular mail and you affirm that you are at least 18 years of age. The best way to send books is to mail them using the U.S. Transfer of Custody or Refusal of Writ Federal prisoners in U.S. WriteAPrisoner.com Legal Department Box. Her husband, Stephen, feels like a total stranger to her; the . Why do I have to provide my mailing address when joining your website? I believe that an inmate on your website is attempting to defraud the public by placing false information on his/her profile. Box 845 The Department of Corrections (DOC) understands and encourages communication with a family member or friend who is incarcerated. If you believe this work is worthy, please consider giving! First, check the address for typos. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The inmates listed are convicted felons and caution should be used. [47] The site's stated policy includes a zero-tolerance approach towards scams committed by inmates as well as scams committed against inmates. It gives me a chance to remind myself that there are two kinds of air: real air and prison air. Addresses do not need to be listed in the message section of the email an inmate form. [48], United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, "To achieve abolition, we must first forgive: Divine Politik", "Presos se relacionam por Facebook carcerario nos EUS", "The Epic Journey of a Man and his Red Phone", "SC Inmates Connecting Online, Communicating Offline", Prisons ban inmates from posting ads to attract pen pals, In the pen, seeking pals; Prisoner-correspondence websites serve as eHarmonies for the incarcerated - and sometimes just friendly contact with the outside world, "Online personal ad features child killer Susan Smith", "Serving Life, a Pen Pal Crashes the Server", Serving Life, a Pen Pal Crashes the Servers, Seeking pen pals, inmates establish Net personal ads, "Statement Regarding Inmate Susan Smith SCDC #221487", "Web site pulls ad placed by Conn. inmate", "Lifetime announces Prison Wives Club: Meet the women and their imprisoned husbands", "Love After Lockup Season 3 trailers, premiere date, cast photos & bios", "Love After Lockup Supertease: Meet the Season 3 Couples Who Found Love Behind Bars", "Department to Ban Inmates From Soliciting Pen Pals on Websites", "Personal Ads From Prisoners: Do Inmates Tell the Truth about Themselves? How do I fix this? In 2019, Duke Law hosted a Write A Prisoner letter-writing event as part of the National Lawyers Guild's recognition of the Week Against Mass Incarceration. Im very grateful. While WriteAPrisoner.com does maintain its own Facebook Page, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, etc., we never post an inmates information directly on those accounts. How long does it take to process an inmate profile and post it? Writing to a prisoner comes with responsibilities, and we encourage you to do some research before making this decision. They are automatically added when you complete this form, and so is your email address. If you can't find the email, check your spam or junk mail. Can you help? Female inmates are housed at one of two female prisons: SCI Muncy or SCI Cambridge Springs, Crawford County. Please visit ourMinor Contacted Inmate Through WriteAPrisoner.com page. To use this service, you must be at least 18 years of age, http://meet-an-inmate.com/locator/index.html. What types of profiles receive the most mail? However, if it is blatantly false, and we can verify this through a government entity, the photo will be removed, and we may remove the inmate's profile as a result of it. Receiving a letter is the highlight of the day for most prisoners. Should I write them anyway? Option 5) Purchase WriteAPrisoner.com Credit for an Existing Inmate Profile - Complete this form if you would like to purchase WriteAPrisoner.com credit for an inmate currently listed on our website. [31] However, this study was rebutted by the site. Why? An inmate is not permitted to be sent any items of value, such as a professional signed sports memorabilia. Inmates pay at least $65 per year (with additional options that cost more) to post their profile and photo, which are viewed by the public at no cost. [19] The site later issued a press release apologizing and stating that the term had been taken out of context. google_ad_width = 120; This can take a few weeks. At reception to the Department of Corrections (DOC), inmates are asked who they would like to list as their next-of-kin, or who the DOC should notify in the event of an emergency involving the inmate. In many cases multiple copies of a single title can be used in a prison classroom. You must be at least 18 years of age. Its the benefit of establishing good friendships by helping them in the ways I can to show them someone cares as they do for me. Processing does not begin until we have received full payment and all required profile information. Inmate Reception/Classification/Processing. 753, or 18 U.S.C. However, for full disclosure, viewers are encouraged to visit the DOC, Federal, or County website using the link provided on each inmate's profile. Why do you have so much information up about mail fraud? Having someone that cares means everything. [CDATA[ These rules and practices vary from prison to prison. Why did this happen? If you are not receiving emails from us, your email provider is most likely flagging our emails as "spam" or "junk mail". Must read Terms of Service & Privacy Policy and be at least 18, Must read Terms of Service & ), stickers, or money - until you know the rules of a particular institution. Original artwork (no larger than 8 " x 11") may be substituted for a photo. We have been the trusted prison penpal site to list inmates for many years. No. Forum; General Prison Talk; . 25. What should I do? Any individual who rescues or attempts to rescue shall be charged under 18 U.S.C. Our success lies with our word of mouth advertising between inmates who have had success using our service. You cannot. If you are under 18, please EXIT now. Send stamps or checks made out to: Christian Pen Pals PO Box 11296 Hickory, NC 28603. Exchanging letters has allowed me to breathe and have a sense of purpose. We ask the inmate to send these requests via Certified Mail. Please be sure to mark email from WriteAPrisoner.com as "allowed" or "approved". When an inmate's profile is placed on our website, a welcome packet, which includes a copy of the profile, is sent to them via postal mail explaining this policy in detail. It is simply to keep our own social network and audience apprised of service updates. Please visit Suggestions for Writing Pen-Pal Profiles. Click "Save" at the bottom of the page. Box 845 Becoming prison pen pals is an excellent way to do that. Who can call You must be over 18 and on the prisoner's list of friends and family. Correspondence with others has helped me to learn more about myself and others, and thats made me grow stronger and wiser. [12], On October 28, 2014, Lifetime aired the Prison Wives Club reality show, which features some couples from WriteAPrisoner.com in the series. You can use theINMATE LOCATORto find out which state prison the inmate is housed. Enter the inmate's name and number below to begin. The ads placed on my service are written by the inmates and we are only the means by which their ads are published. Writing Inmates. If someone else appears in the photo, please identify the inmate. We recommend and promote using this site to find penpals for friendships, and not romantic relationships. Learn more about phone accounts and rules. [24] In 2019, Netflix released a new show, Exhibit A, in which an inmate from WriteAPrisoner.com was featured in the first episode. What can I do? Be careful about the information you share with your inmate pen pals because there's always a chance that they are dangerous. We are not a dating website, and we do not encourage you use our website to seek romance. We respond to every letter that comes into our office, and our goal is to get inmates who dont want to be listed off as soon as possible to help free up pen-pals for inmates who need them. Also, your local religious centers may let you use their address. True Hollywood Story. For more information, including possible scams, see our F.A.Q. It is recommended that you do not send cash, personal checks, stamps, stationery, or any items of any kind without first checking with the institution at which the inmate is incarcerated. Under no circumstances will we remove a profile unless the inmate requests it directly and in writing. Prison is a very dark, lonely experience if you have no one on the outside to speak with. The release dates listed on inmate profiles may not exactly match those on official government websites. This is done for their protection. You can email or mail the photo along with the inmate's complete name, mailing address, and any specific instructions to: Option 2) WriteAPrisoner.com You may start looking forward to receiving the letters just as much as the inmate does. Why list an inmate with Meet-An-Inmate.com. We will send a Welcome Home Kit to any inmate being released who has no support system. Can I pay for his or her new profile, profile renewal, profile change, etc.? These mandatory fees are also on every speeding ticket or summary appeal. How much does it cost to list an inmate? Your efforts could very well be the difference between someone going out and changing their life, or ending up back in prison. This is why we always ask the inmate to send his or her signed profile removal confirmation request to us via Certified Mail. Option 7) Reinstate Expired Profile - Use this form if you are trying to reinstate an inmate profile that has expired within the last nine months. This is a fee-based service. Yes. I found an inmate on your website who has a different release date than that of the one provided by their facility. For more information, including possible scams, see our. Its changed my life completely. Home | Lady Inmates | Newest Ladies | Male Inmates | Newest Men | List An folder, the email should be in there. Click on this photo and their personal ad will open. Make a lonely inmate smile Please be sure to include the following when you contact us: I emailed the following inmate below and wish to cancel and delete this email. Will the inmate be given my mailing address and email address if I send a message through your website? You do not have to give your address to an inmate if you are willing to get a P.O. Any inmate who is currently incarcerated can post a reintegration profile free of charge. By signing up as a Pen Pal, you understand that you are obligating yourself to witness to a prisoner via regular mail and you affirm that you are at least 18 years of age. Inmates must submit in writing that they want their profile removed. Step 4) Follow the prompts to complete canceling your account. We are a pen-pal website only. We have decided starting in 2023 to accept all applications regardless of crime. Please note that we are unable to help you retrieve your account if you deleted it yourself. Inmates must submit in writing that they want their profile removed. [32] WriteAPrisoner.com provides a link from each inmate's profile to his or her respective department of corrections website so the public can verify the information. Please read our disclaimer below before writing a prisoner. 2000-2023 WriteAPrisoner.com. WriteAPrisoner.com in no way helps facilitate this kind of communication, but institution policy sometimes allows it. Do I have to sign up for this program before I can donate materials? Highlight the email and look at the options; select "not spam," "never block," or a similar term along these lines. Address stickers used for return addresses are banned for the same reason. However, it remains unclear if they will continue in the future. You can also check with your local library to see if they are getting rid of any books these organizations may need. It is free to write the inmates. google_ad_slot = "6365722622"; What methods of payment do you accept for inmates' profiles? The benefits of correspondence are many for me. Several states have placed a ban on inmate penpal sites in response to these issues,[11] which the site owner has stated is a violation of the First Amendment. Do you offer a refund? You can invite up to 3 other people (of any age) on the. Absolutely. All requests for removal need to come directly from the inmate. To cancel your WriteAPrisoner.com, please follow the instructions below: Step 1) Click My Account Address your envelope exactly as shown. Simply complete this form, and we will get them listed and started:Books Behind Bars - Add a Listing. We reserve the right to edit profile content at our discretion. Being able to converse with someone is the greatest joy in the world, especially under the circumstances. All female inmates are processed through the DCC at SCI Muncy, Lycoming County. Failure to provide all required information will delay processing. Please provide as much information as possible. As someone who is under 18, I think that writing to someone my age as a pal would be good but people might take it too far. I dont feel so alone when I hear my name at mail call. Senders can send multiple money orders at a time. If you get one of these, please mail it to: The bottom line is, don't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, and report anything that you suspect as unethical or illegal. You can also ask questions about this on our forum. This form does not allow you to send money to inmates, only to purchase WriteAPrisoner.com credit toward our services. An inmate can place a Legal Profile on WriteAPrisoner.com, but we suggest doing this only when they have a very compelling case. What greater gift could you give someone than hope? Click "Request new password". Why? The appropriate safeguards should be used in communicating with any person(s) that you may meet through this service. What are prison pen-pals? Make the day of a lonely inmate! If the option to verify the photo was available through a government website at the time the photo was posted, then we verified and approved it. Proudly founded by William Penn in 1681 as a place of tolerance and freedom. Because books are heavy, be sure the packaging is substantial and taped well. Under no circumstances will we work with anyone under the age of 18 years old. Yes. The total amount is $600 minus the $60 mandatory victim's compensation fee. This is something we often hear, and while it is sometimes challenging to locate mail once it has been lost, there is a lot you can do to help improve the chances of mail arriving next time. This is why we always ask the inmate to send his or her signed profile removal confirmation request to us via Certified Mail. It is best to visit the appropriate institution's website to find out before sending a message in another language. WriteAPrisoner.com is an online Florida-based business. Donating money is a decision that can only be made by you. However, if your email is outside our scope of practice or just conversational, you may not receive a reply. We also have a forum for Incarcerated Loved Ones. This will remove our name from your spam list, so you can receive emails from WriteAPrisoner.com. Other services are available as you complete this form, such as adding blog posts, poems, and artwork, but these services are optional. Research shared on our Why WriteAPrisoner page and the Federal Bureau of Prisons shows that both male and female prison pen-pals who establish and maintain positive contacts outside of prison walls, pursue educational opportunities, and seek normalization through friendship, are less likely to re-offend. However, we cannot edit the message. No, offender-to-offender correspondence is not allowed. Sending money to an inmate is done through JPay. In addition, an inmate's possessions are typically limited to a box or two. Men and women behind bars seeking letters on WriteAPrisoner. Contact with prison pen-pals is then maintained via postal mail or programs likeCorrLinksandJPay. Option 6) Renew Existing Inmate Profile - Complete this form to renew an inmate's profile before it expires. If a loved one or friend is incarcerated at one of the 25 Department of Corrections' (DOC) state correctional institutions (SCI), his or her incarceration generates a lot of questions from family members and friends on the outside of the SCI.. If the inmate has a DOC job working in the kitchen and the inmate receives a $50 paycheck, DOC will deduct $10. When the state of Missouri investigated claims that several dozen female inmates were deceiving male pen pals,[29] the proactive response of the site resulted in a positive response by the public. It is advisable to use a Post Office Box or Church Address for contacts with persons you write to. I sent an email to an inmate using your service. However, we reserve the right to decline an application if we see fit. Online communities like Facebook function when all parties have access to the Internet. The site has been featured on many programs including 20/20[20] and E! Additionally, many inmates have facility approved emailing options. Here are three questions to ask yourself before writing your letter to an inmate: 1.) The topics highlightedare the most often asked and requested areas of information. These help fund victim/witness programs, shelters and reimburse out-of-pocket expenses for crime victims who may not be receiving restitution yet or at all in their case. Please note that we are unable to help you retrieve your account if you deleted it yourself. Writing an inmate for the first time can be intimidating at first, we recommend that your first letter be kept short, include a brief description of yourself, your interests and hobbies, and maybe a photo of yourself. PLEASE NOTE:The ban on color envelopes for greeting cards and any other mail began on October 29, 2015, to thwart the introduction of suboxone and other drugs into DOC institutions. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Please contact us with specific details of what you are looking for. Follow these steps to write a letter to a prisoner and send it correctly: Review your letter for inappropriate content Find the rules and guidelines about what you can send to your inmate on the website of the prison they're in Write the prison address, the inmate's full name, and their prisoner IDyou can find it on the website Look through that file until you find the email from WriteAPrisoner.com. Please contact your local post office directly for additional information about this service. of Corrections", "Web sites promoting liaisons with prisoners abound", "Precautionary Measures Taken by WriteAPrisoner.com", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WriteAPrisoner.com&oldid=1150496098, 17,000 inmate members, 800,000 registered members, This page was last edited on 18 April 2023, at 14:31. If the inmate has a DOC job working in the kitchen and the inmate receives a $50 paycheck, DOC will deduct $10. google_ad_height = 600; You smile more and feel good. Yes. Inc. All Rights Reserved. Its been helpful getting to know people outside of prison. When communicating with anyone who is at first a stranger, caution is always advised and its just a matter of using common sense. In an effort to curb the introduction of drugs into facilities, the Department of Corrections (DOC) has overhauled its system for sending mail to inmates. P.O. They sometimes outright lie to get money sent to them. Writing an inmate for the first time can be intimidating at first, we recommend that your first letter be kept short, include a brief description of yourself, your interests and hobbies, and maybe a photo of yourself. [36] Others found freedom through the site after their profiles attracted the attention of attorneys and human rights groups.[37]. This is really a case-specific question, and the inmate would have to answer it. Try writing another letter. DOC officials do not discuss inmate transfers to home facilities before they take place. ). Meet-An-Inmate.com Ive made a lot of friends through this website friends Ill continue with after Im released. We ask that you treat these inmates with dignity and respect. Just think of how lonely it must feel at mail call to never hear your name being called, especially after being locked up for several years and family and friends have deserted you. Once we receive their written request, a confirmation letter is mailed back to them. 21. I know an inmate who has a profile on your website, and it is about to expire. I don't have any books to donate right now, but I want to help educate our country's prison population. Inmates have been turning to our WriteAPrisoner.com program since its inception in 2000 to find mentors, legal aid, educational opportunities, employment upon release, counseling, housing options, and so much more. We also provide a Prison Resource Directory for help in finding legal aid for an inmate. The inmates pay a small fee to be listed. We will mail the inmate a notice of your profile gift within three business days via postal mail, and the inmate will be able to provide the information needed to activate the profile. With the cursor placed, two options appear: Docket Sheet or Court Summary. Choose DOCKET SHEET.Another new screen will come up with the actual docket. DOC will deduct 20% of all incoming monies to the inmate's account until that payment is satisfied. //