Should I send letters to someone in solitary!?

[Pizza_Lovah]

Hello! I'm a newish-member here (just joined officially but have been keeping up with cases for a year or two since someone I now went missing). My question is - is there a forum on this site for guidance on reaching out to prisoners in solitary? I'm thinking of doing outreach to a few who are currently in solitary, guided by (Letters to Solitary). Does anyone have any experience with this? Also thinking of reaching via Write a Prisoner. Any experiences on that? It hurts my heart to know how lonely some of these souls must be.

 

[Vail]

Unless it is someone that the innocence project is fighting for or you are researching a book, a convict in solitary is there for a reason and really doesn't deserve your time or sympathy. TV shows will make you feel for a guy in solitary that has just killed other child rapists in prison, for example. Noble cause, for sure, but the individual is still dangerous and deranged.

Your time on earth is valuable. Use it to affect real change.
Innocence Project - Help us put an end to wrongful convictions!

 

[Skigh]

There are plenty of elderly people living a solitary life,especially after a partner has died.
Why don't you contact help the aged or a similar organisation,or ask in your neighbourhood.
I am sure you could be found someone who would love to receive a letter.

 

[katydid23]

Hello! I'm a newish-member here (just joined officially but have been keeping up with cases for a year or two since someone I now went missing). My question is - is there a forum on this site for guidance on reaching out to prisoners in solitary? I'm thinking of doing outreach to a few who are currently in solitary, guided by (Letters to Solitary). Does anyone have any experience with this? Also thinking of reaching via Write a Prisoner. Any experiences on that? It hurts my heart to know how lonely some of these souls must be.

you've got to be real careful with that. Any letters you send may be shared with other prisoners, including your address ion you allow them to reply to your letters.

I know of a woman who began a nice letter exchange with a man, whom claimed to be innocent of his murder charges. She believed him and they wrote back and forth for a year or so.

Then strange men contacted her, who had gotten her address from her pen pal in prison. One man even knocked on her door, saying they had a mutual friend ---and wanting to know if he could hang out for a day or two while he looked for a place to stay...

 

[Barnabas]

I wouldn’t do it. Every year at the holidays I send cards to strangers that I get from a list run by angel cards and some are prisoners but I never put my name or a return address on any of them.

 

[meanmaryjean]

OP: Good advice by everyone here you would do well to heed.

 

[Pizza_Lovah]

WOW. Thank you so much everyone for the advice! I was thinking maybe I could get a PO box and use that to correspond? Also I will definitely check out the innocence project.

 

[Pizza_Lovah]

you've got to be real careful with that. Any letters you send may be shared with other prisoners, including your address ion you allow them to reply to your letters.

I know of a woman who began a nice letter exchange with a man, whom claimed to be innocent of his murder charges. She believed him and they wrote back and forth for a year or so.

Then strange men contacted her, who had gotten her address from her pen pal in prison. One man even knocked on her door, saying they had a mutual friend ---and wanting to know if he could hang out for a day or two while he looked for a place to stay...

Wow! Okay this is what I was concerned about.

 

[Pizza_Lovah]

Unless it is someone that the innocence project is fighting for or you are researching a book, a convict in solitary is there for a reason and really doesn't deserve your time or sympathy. TV shows will make you feel for a guy in solitary that has just killed other child rapists in prison, for example. Noble cause, for sure, but the individual is still dangerous and deranged.

Your time on earth is valuable. Use it to affect real change.
Innocence Project - Help us put an end to wrongful convictions!

Thank you! Is this the site that you were linking to: Innocence Project - Help us put an end to wrongful convictions! (your link didn't work for me). I am hoping to contribute some how to prison reform and issues but in a way that is as informed, valuable, and safe as possible!

 

[cherrymeg]

Hello! I'm a newish-member here (just joined officially but have been keeping up with cases for a year or two since someone I now went missing). My question is - is there a forum on this site for guidance on reaching out to prisoners in solitary? I'm thinking of doing outreach to a few who are currently in solitary, guided by (Letters to Solitary). Does anyone have any experience with this? Also thinking of reaching via Write a Prisoner. Any experiences on that? It hurts my heart to know how lonely some of these souls must be.

Solitary confinement is inhumane. If you are going to write to someone look them up before you write. You might get letter bombed (a bunch of letters all at once) by some inmates that don't understand that you have a life or that their mail isn't being sent out as quickly as they think it is. Don't send money. If you write to someone near you be careful when talking about your life. Don't give out details about when your house will be empty because you are going on vacation. Guards also read your letters, other inmates might. Don't send pictures of your kids or friends.

 

[Pizza_Lovah]

Solitary confinement is inhumane. If you are going to write to someone look them up before you write. You might get letter bombed (a bunch of letters all at once) by some inmates that don't understand that you have a life or that their mail isn't being sent out as quickly as they think it is. Don't send money. If you write to someone near you be careful when talking about your life. Don't give out details about when your house will be empty because you are going on vacation. Guards also read your letters, other inmates might. Don't send pictures of your kids or friends.

Thank you! Like you I recognize that it's completely inhumane. What do you think about sending letters with no return address/completely one way? I was thinking just I'd draw some uplifting pictures or whatnot (I'm an artist). However, maybe that is more frustrating for someone in solitary - to get a letter and have no way to respond. Otherwise I thought maybe I'd get a PO box and for sure look up who I write in advance.

 

[Laughing]

Dear Abby has a Valentines for Veterans project.

Plenty of veterans, some in Veteran's Hospitals & Homes, likely hungry for contact &/or companionship....

JMHO

 

[cherrymeg]

Thank you! Like you I recognize that it's completely inhumane. What do you think about sending letters with no return address/completely one way? I was thinking just I'd draw some uplifting pictures or whatnot (I'm an artist). However, maybe that is more frustrating for someone in solitary - to get a letter and have no way to respond. Otherwise I thought maybe I'd get a PO box and for sure look up who I write in advance.

You can use a service like Jpay or connectnetwork. In solitary their tablets that allow them to respond without an address might be taken from them. You can always call the correctional facility and see what your options are. Also make sure they receive mail while in solitary. You might be able to help by protesting or writing to your state about solitary. Check out criminal records for solitary inmates. If they are near you and getting out soon you might want to be cautious. Look at mail features for where you write. I would say be cautious but I'd post my address and phone number I can't judge anyone else.