These are fee-based services and are monitored by the institutions. [40] San Diego State University graduate student Tania Mejia-O'Donnell, a 2018-2019 Inamori Fellow, explored inmates' pen pal experiences through WriteaPrisoner.com.[41]. Inmates can use money in prison to purchase a variety of items including better quality hygiene products, art supplies, postage, phone cards, and food in some cases. Our staff will verify the address change, and the profile will be updated accordingly. Inmates must submit in writing that they want their profile removed. Youre not human when you dont communicate or interact with the outside world. There are many official third-party services for pen-pals to email inmates. There have situations in the past, where an inmate's parent or spouse would call the prison upset because they were not contacted about an emergency involving their incarcerated loved one. Complete information can often be verified on a government website. We never charge you anything to use this website. Box 845 We also have a forum for Incarcerated Loved Ones. We accept checks, money orders, and credit cards. Under no circumstances will we remove a profile unless the inmate requests it directly and in writing. Box 10 We have decided starting in 2023 to accept all applications regardless of crime. Do you have any suggestions for writing my first letter to an inmate? Once posted, the profile will appear in our Inmate Profiles, as well as in all relative categories. Any profile we feel inappropriately represents us will be returned and fully refunded prior to processing. We want both parties to have all the information they can, as it is their best chance to make it work considering the challenges. You may also wish to ask the inmate before attempting this. 2241 ). The total amount is $600 minus the $60 mandatory victim's compensation fee. What is the mailing address for Meet-An-Inmate.Com? You may start looking forward to receiving the letters just as much as the inmate does. It is advisable to use a Post Office Box or Church Address for contacts with persons you write to. Do you have any advice or rules for writing an inmate profile? Many inmates are indigent, and we fully understand that they may ask people on the outside for money once correspondence is established. The best advice is not to send money or only very small amounts for stamps, stationary, or small luxuries such as shampoo, deodorant, shoes, etc. All institutions have different guidelines as to what an inmate may receive or send through the mail. The crime we place is generic and rarely includes all offenses. They sometimes outright lie to get money sent to them. Absolutely. recommend and promote using this site to find penpals for friendships, and not romantic relationships. If you do not want the inmate to have your email address, send your message directly instead of using our email forwarding option. If neither of these is available, a simple smiling photo is also good. These inmates can't wait to hear from you! You can conduct an inmate search of inmates not listed on our website by using our Inmate Locator. Mail helps a lot. Why do you have so much information up about mail fraud? [21] In March 2006, the site made local news when it posted a profile for Adrian Peeler, who was convicted in the killing of an eight-year-old boy and his mother. If you believe that your account was suspended in error, you can request a review of your suspended account by completing our Review of Suspended Account Request Form. Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Don't give up on them without thoroughly examining the situation. We will send a Welcome Home Kit to any inmate being released who has no support system. You can invite up to 3 other people (of any age) on the. There you will find many seasoned pen-pals who are willing to share their experiences and make suggestions. In most institutions, numbers are assigned to incarcerated people. By submitting this form, you will pay this amount toward the renewal of the selected inmate. You would have to write to them directly at the address provided or email them using a facility approved email option. You will make a difference in someone's life - including . Another option may be to use your post office's General Delivery service. There are some unscrupulous services known for sending our members renewal notices with brochures almost identical to ones here at WriteAPrisoner.com. What if I'm not 18- Can I still write a prisoner or use your service? How do I get his/her prison listed? Becoming prison pen pals is an excellent way to do that. The inmates pay a small fee to be listed. Will you place an inmate's profile on social media? We (meet-an-inmate.com) accept no responsibility for the accuracy of any content found within these pages. 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. Learn more about the process and how you can register to track your mail along the way. If you don't hear back from the inmate, use our Inmate Locator to verify that the inmate's address hasn't changed. Please visit Suggestions for Writing Pen-Pal Profiles. [19] The site later issued a press release apologizing and stating that the term had been taken out of context. . We ask the inmate to send these requests via Certified Mail. In 2020, TikTok users discovered the site, generating more than 65 million views,[38] with the trend continuing. The ads placed on my service are written by the inmates and we are only the means by which their ads are published. Many inmates have become out of sight, out of mind to their family and friends, offering friendship can be a great way to keep their spirits up and let them know they are not alone. My WriteAPrisoner.com account was suspended by you. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this information. Once we delete the message, you would not be able to send a new one to this same inmate via our email forwarding option. Emails received by the end of the business day on the 4th and 20th of each month will typically be printed and mailed no later than the 7th and 23rd of each month. The Department of Corrections (DOC) understands and encourages communication with a family member or friend who is incarcerated. Once we receive their written request, a confirmation letter is mailed back to them. 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. After evaluation, DOC determines the inmate's home facility, which will be one of 22 male facilities. Can I write to an inmate in any language? I also think outside pen-pals benefits from being introduced to a new perspective. All requests for removal need to come directly from the inmate. Once you have selected a prison pen-pal to correspond with, you have the option of sending your first message free of charge. 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. I would like to write an inmate pen-pal on WriteAPrisoner.com as a friend, but the inmate I want to write is only looking for romance. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2759167235257224"; Although we are unable to offer our email forwarding service to inmates outside of the United States, all other benefits apply. No. 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. 2000-2023 WriteAPrisoner.com. Many inmates get ripped off by using inferior services. If the inmate has a DOC job working in the kitchen and the inmate receives a $50 paycheck, DOC will deduct $10. For profiles submitted online, we ask that you please allow 8-12 days for processing. What does it mean if an inmate photo or inmate crime is "verified"? These rules and practices vary from prison to prison. For more information, including possible scams, see our. You must write to or call the Department of Corrections superintendent's office at the prison where the inmate is housed. The reason that you did not receive your email confirmation from us is most likely because your email provider has marked our automated email as spam. (pdf). Other services are available as you complete this form, such as adding blog posts, poems, and artwork, but these services are optional. A few books in prison can go a long way. 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. Depending on when your loved one arrived at DOC determines how much money he or she makes working inside the prison and how much money sent to him is deducted from the inmates for these fines and the rest of the case. [39] In 2015, University of Warwick shared findings of research at the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Festival of Social Science. 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. No. Yes. To cancel your WriteAPrisoner.com, please follow the instructions below: Step 1) Click My Account Prison mail always moves slower, so please give the letter ample time to arrive and time for the inmate to reply. As long as we are able to confirm this information at a government website, we will remove the profile. ), stickers, or money - until you know the rules of a particular institution. However, if your email is outside our scope of practice or just conversational, you may not receive a reply. Multiple cards can possibly be used, but the limit is $300 per card every 72 hours. Yes, please follow the instructions below: Step 2) Enter your username or email address. Do a good deed and write to prisoners today! It gives me a chance to remind myself that there are two kinds of air: real air and prison air. If the inmate has stated that we are not responding to their requests for removal, this is incorrect. No, please do not send your books to WriteAPrisoner.com. View inmate Counseling, Educational, Employment, and Housing profiles. 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. However, for full disclosure, viewers are encouraged to visit the DOC, Federal, or County website using the link provided on each inmate's profile. Under no circumstances will we work with anyone under the age of 18 years old. In many cases multiple copies of a single title can be used in a prison classroom. 753, or 18 U.S.C. This money collected by the DOC is sent back to the sentencing county to have the payment recorded into the docket and is then put towards the appropriate partiesincluding the crime victims owed restitution. For more information on reporting and researching postal fraud, please visit: Detecting & Reporting Fraud. Corresponding with pen pals has given my life some much-needed variety. Addresses do not need to be listed in the message section of the email an inmate form. To serve an inmate with court-related documents (such as custody papers) regardless of the document(s) being served on an inmate, it can done by a sheriff, constable or process server. [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? If you are still unable to find an organization that is requesting the materials you wish to donate, consider emailing some of the programs directly and explain what you have. Box. Edgewater, FL 32132-0010 USA. Our success lies with our word of mouth advertising between inmates who have had success using our service. We have been the trusted prison penpal site to list inmates for many years. Please visit, Purchase Credit for an Existing Inmate Profile. Please contact us with specific details of what you are looking for. You can and will make a tremendous difference in someones life and will hopefully bring them to the Lord and/or enhance their walk and make life a little better for a lonely and lost soul. Category. We then recommend visiting the Better Business Bureau and filing an official complaint against the company. Sometimes in this busy world, it is nice to find someone who truly cares what you have to say. You smile more and feel good. CPP is a faith based ministry which depends on donations to help with the costs of mailing. Additionally, we will mail up to one hundred printed surveys out to inmates on your behalf. How to Serve an Inmate with Legal Documents. Can I mail the books to WriteAPrisoner.com? No. Do I need to include my mailing address in the message section of the email an inmate form, or is it already included because I entered it above? Can the inmate include copyrighted material in his or her profile. Additionally, many inmates have facility approved emailing options. Please contact your local post office directly for additional information about this service. Edgewater, FL 32132-0010 USA. Prison pen pals seeking friendship. The Department of Corrections (DOC) understands and encourages communication with a family member or friend who is incarcerated. It can be a lot of fun communicating with these, The inmates listed are convicted felons and caution should be used. 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. Be understanding without being gullible. Can you list inmates on your website from outside the United States? If someone else appears in the photo, please identify the inmate. Is this common amongst inmates? P.O. 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. The inmate that I have been writing to suddenly stopped. I found an inmate on your website who has a different release date than that of the one provided by their facility. Writing to a prisoner comes with responsibilities, and we encourage you to do some research before making this decision. A few dollars can go far in prison, but you should never send large sums of money under any circumstances, nor should you ever send cash. Read more here. While we strongly encourage them not to do this, we have found that most still welcome a pen-pal relationship. ", "Study reveals potential value of prison pen pals", "Pen pal is powerful boost to prisoner wellbeing", "The Recovery Benefits of Being a Prison Pen Pal: How the WriteAPrisoner community helps prisoners feel connected and inspires sobriety", "New Documentary Examines Controversial Conviction of 'San Antonio Four' Amidst Satanic Ritual Panic", "Canadian with 160-year prison sentence in U.S. back in Canada as a free man", "Police blotter: Prison inmate wants personal ad replies", "Frank S. Clement vs. California Dept. DOC policy is very strict about who may receive information about an inmate. ( Check your JUNK MAIL FOLDER in case our Email is filtered.). Prison pen-pals are inmates who exchange letters with non-incarcerated pen-pals. How is an inmate notified when funds have been put into his/her account? Should I write them anyway? [45] While WriteAPrisoner.com does not allow inmates any form of actual Internet contact, many prisons now have services such as Corrlinks, which allows inmates monitored email access for a fee. Be understanding without being gullible. If the inmate has a DOC job working in the kitchen and the inmate receives a $50 paycheck, DOC will deduct $10. You can use theINMATE LOCATORto find out which state prison the inmate is housed. Inmate Reception/Classification/Processing. They spoke emotionally about how starting in June 2020 through the spring of 2021, O'Connor allegedly hosted parties for her teenage son and his friends, "facilitating and watching" their sex acts . Even though we are the best, we can not guarantee 100% success, but you can trust that we will do our very best to produce results. Near the end of the document, there is a section entitled Court Financial Information. This displays if the fees are paid.Both the inmate and the DOC will have payment information on record. No. Universities continue to conduct research surrounding the benefits of inmate correspondence and even participating in letter-writing with inmates. You must be at least 18 years of age. If the photo is a profile addition, and payment still needs to be made, please do that here: Make Changes to an Inmate Profile. We do have some suggestions and rules to keep in mind when writing a profile. send all supporting documentation and information to us. I have power of attorney for an inmate. The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has upheld inmates' right to receive e-mail printouts from online pen pals. WriteAPrisoner.com has compiled this section to help you recognize and report inmate fraud: Detecting & Reporting Mail Fraud. You would need to, We do have some suggestions and rules to keep in mind when writing a profile. I believe that an inmate on your website is attempting to defraud the public by placing false information on his/her profile. Meeting people from all walks of life helps to break up the monotony of prison reality. Simply complete this form, and we will get them listed and started:Books Behind Bars - Add a Listing. We ask that you treat these inmates with dignity and respect. We also encourage you to visit our Prison Forum to engage with other members about related topics, such as what to expect when you meet an inmate, death row, correspondence, visitation, different departments of corrections, and more. No business may be conducted through the profile. If you are under 18 years of age, you can jeopardize our service and the inmates who use it by visiting this website or making contact . WriteAPrisoner.com provides no mechanism of contact for inmates to actually email. I have some used text books I'd like to donate, but I can't find any institutions that want them. Because of third party services, inmates can, in many cases, leave voicemails for you. Do you have any suggestions? An inmate has placed a fake or false photo on WriteAPrisoner.com. Correspondence has brought me a sense of peace. Your letters are sure to remind them that they truly deserve a second chance. Top | Lady Inmates | Newest Ladies | Male Inmates | Newest Men | List An Inmate | FAQ | Search | Contact Us, Meet-An-Inmate.com A docket number appears as CP-01-CR-1234-2015. If you are under 18, please EXIT now. In many cases, inmates are simply planning on an earlier or later release based on criteria that has not yet, or may not, be applied to the government's website. Box 10 Use implies acceptance of our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy. Send stamps or checks made out to: Christian Pen Pals PO Box 11296 Hickory, NC 28603. Not hearing from anyone from outside can be very unhealthy to your mental state. Her husband, Stephen, feels like a total stranger to her; the . Many states you can look up crimes and additional information on the inmates by goingto http://meet-an-inmate.com/locator/index.html. What can I do? They tend to be very supportive of inmates maintaining contact with the outside world. Why was my email forward to an inmate rejected? Profiles must be submitted in English. We appreciate your understanding and patience while we complete this process. [13][14][15][16] The South Carolina Department of Corrections issued a press release related to the incident. You can also drop books off in person to those organizations that indicate this as an option. We post profiles, photos, and contact information of inmates. While WriteAPrisoner.com does maintain its own Facebook Page, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, etc., we never post an inmates information directly on those accounts. You can add inmate Pen-pal and Legal Profiles here and make changes to existing profiles and renew profiles. The following is a typical disclaimer just to cover ourselves legally. Online communities like Facebook function when all parties have access to the Internet.