Thanks very
much for your interest in writing to a prisoner. Friends4Lifers.com simply
serves as a kind of worldwide noticeboard, on which any prisoner can request
penfriends. If you see someone you'd like to write to, please just go ahead
and write them at the mailing address given on their page. A few things you
might like to consider first:
We strongly
advise you not to write to a prisoner in the same country as you, for security
reasons.
Why not open
a PO Box if you have any concerns about giving out your home address? It's
not expensive and gives you added security. Bear in mind though, that if you
are in the UK and have a PO box, Royal Mail will give out your real address
to anyone asking for it. In other countries PO boxes are confidential.
Always put
your full return address on the outside of your envelope, as well as on your
letter - some prisons will not allow mail in if people don't do this.
Don't forget
that you are writing to someone in a prison - sometimes, in a maximum security
prison. Breaking the rules is treated very seriously - so please don't enclose
anything, even stamps, with your letter until you know what the mail room
rules in your new friend's prison are. He/She will be happy to give this information
to you.
When sending
photos, bear in mind that very few prisons will allow Polaroid photos in.
It is best
not to write to more than one person in the same prison - this can cause all
sorts of problems.
It is impossible for
Friends4Lifers to verify all information given by prisoners in their ads.
In many cases, though, you can look up prisoners' criminal records online
(particularly in the US) and check to see if what you are being told about
their conviction is the truth.
Always err on the side
of caution; while there are very many lonely, genuine prisoners out there
who just want your friendship, we are sad to say that there are also a few
who will take advantage of kind souls if given the opportunity. It is better
to be safe than sorry...
I hope this
is helpful and that you will decide to take on a prison penpal. I have been
writing to people in prison for several decades now, and it has been a very
rewarding experience... I highly recommend it.
