Can you imagine how lonely the prisoners stay in prison? They really need support from others, especially from their family. So, if you have family members who are in prison, try to send a letter to them. Based on the research, incarcerated people who always contact their beloved family members or friends, they will be happy and feel cared for. Also, they will be in better condition to succeed after their release.
You not only can send a letter to your family member or friends who are incarcerated, but you can also send a letter to a prisoner you don’t know. By the way, how do you write a letter to a prisoner you don’t know? Well, here we will inform you of the way to do that.
Write a Letter to a Prisoner You Don’t Know – Here’s Way
It is a good idea to write a letter to a prisoner as it is an extraordinary gift for both of you, especially for the one who is incarcerated. By writing a letter to someone in prison, it means that you have given your time and care for them. Apparently, there are lots of people in prison who have no contact with people on the outside. So, receiving a letter from someone on the outside is a precious thing for them. So, how do you write a letter to a prisoner you don’t know?
Here is a way to do that:
Step 1: Consider Whether You will be a Pen Pal
When you decide to write a letter to a prisoner you don’t know, you must understand that you will give your time and care for him/her. Also, you must always try to give your support. Therefore, before you write a letter to a prisoner, try to ask yourself whether you will be a pen pal for the incarcerated one you write a letter to. Of course, it is very crucial to maintain the correspondence. A prisoner who receives a letter from you will be disappointed if you only write a letter once or twice.
Step 2: Find a Prisoner
Now, time is to find a prisoner. Do not worry, there are some organizations and online businesses that will help you to connect with incarcerated people. They will help you to be a pen pal with a person in prison. Try to connect with those organizations by accessing their official websites. In finding those websites, simply you can use the key word; write to a person in prison. For your information, there are some websites that charge a fee for sign-up, and other websites may charge you a fee to always connect with the prisoners. Aside from that, you should also see how long the company/website has been in business. Surely, you must find reviews to know whether the company is considered reputable.
Step 3: Clarify Your Intentions
Of course, it is very important to clarify your intentions for writing the letter. So, you must inform a prisoner you gave a letter about your reasons why you write a letter for him/her. If you write a letter to search for friendship or to give support, then you must explain this reason in your letter. Also, you must explain how often you can correspond to the prisoner. Don’t let the prisoner become disappointed in you as you only write a letter once or twice.
Based on the research, there are some incarcerated people who may be seeking a romantic relationship. You can explain your position kindly if you are not interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with the prisoner. Make sure that you do not hurt his/her heart. Also, there are some incarcerated people who may ask for your money. For this case, you can refuse the request politely and explain that you will not give the prisoner your money.
Step 4: Keep Your First Letter Relatively Short and Clear
Make sure that when you write your first letter to a prisoner, your letter is relatively short and clear. In the letter, you can describe who you are. For example, you can talk about your name, hobby, or other things about you. Also, try to get the name and hobby of the prisoner. Do not forget, you must also explain the reason why you want to write a letter for the prisoner.
When you decide to write a letter to the prisoner, you must be sure to maintain the correspondence to the prisoner for at least six months. Keep in mind that you do not make any commitments to the prisoner that you feel that you can’t fulfill. In addition, you must follow all the prison’s rules related to writing a letter to a prisoner.
Step 5: Tell Some Details About Your Life
In writing a letter to a prisoner, you can tell some details about your life. In this case, you can share your experiences, great stories, or other details about your own life. Of course, this is very important to grow your relationship with the prisoner. Need to note that a prison official will read your letter. So, do not ever discuss any criminal activity or anything else prohibited by prison regulations on the letter. Otherwise, you will get a warning from a prison official.
Step 6: Include Your Return Address
Surely, when you decide to be in a pen pal relationship, you must give your home address. Usually, some people give their home address, but there are also some people who keep their home address, and instead set up a post office box. For this case, you are free to select whether you want to give your home address, or not. But usually, prison will need a return address on the envelope to be given to the prisoner.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
