Letters are vital to making prison inmates feel connected to home during their imprisonment. Being a prison pen pal to your incarcerated family member, partner and friend prove to be both motivating and refreshing. Most people choose to become a prison pen pal through various websites and form a close relationship with them.

Does Any Particular Letter Apply For Writing To A Prisoner?

Letters that you write a prison should be written as sent as per the rules of the prison authorities set inmate letter rules and regulations. This means the letters you register for the prisoner an inmate penpal should undergo a stringent check. If you fail to adhere to the prison authorities’ laws and rules, they might either be discarded or returned to you.

When you write a prisoner, you must mention the below-mentioned details on the envelope:

• Full Name Of The Prisoner.
• Inmate’s Booking Number.
• Complete Address Of The Correctional Facility.
• Sender’s Complete Address.

You cannot hand the letter directly to the prisoner when visiting them as per law, which is both punishable and prohibited.

What To Remember When Writing A Prisoner?

While it’s a new trend that people are following, becoming a prison penpal, there are a few things that one needs to consider when writing to them

• You will have to search for someone who shares similar interests as you. This will make it easier for you to establish a common topic of conversation.
• You can write a prisoner to motivate prisoners behind bars since they are not in connection with the outside world for a long time.
• Choose an inmate that has similar expectations to you. It isn’t worth choosing someone looking forward to a romantic relationship when you want only friendship.

Basic Rules To Writing To A Prisoner

Here are some of the standard rules you must follow when volunteering to be a prison pen pal.

·        Find A Suitable Platform

You can come across various inmate registries across the internet. These registries offer inmate profiles on display. Through their profiles, you can understand who is engaging in receiving letters from a pen pal.

·        Introduce Yourself To Your Penpal

Make sure to introduce who you are and what is your purpose of writing to them. Your first letter should be a brief introduction to yourself.

·        Share Some Basics About Yourself

Sharing basics like age, location, sex, etc., is a good way of telling the inmate about yourself. You can mention your occupation, who stays in your family, what you like and what is your religious belief, etc. You can even share some memorable moments from your like a vacation you took, a job promotion, etc.

·        Tell Them How You Found Them

This is one of the most critical pieces of information you include in the letter. Let them know what motivated you to write to them specifically. Mention any specific information that made you write to them.

When volunteering to be an inmate pen pal, follow all these guidelines. This way, you can write the best letter that makes both the inmates and you feel good.