WRITE A PRISONER…
Being in contact with the outside world
fosters a positive, healthy, and hopeful attitude in inmates.

Letter writing is one of the best ways to do this (which is why we are WriteAPrisoner.com!). Imagine – most of these inmates no longer hear from friends and family after they’ve been in prison just a very short time. Don’t fault those people. It is very hard to sustain hope in such desperate times. Also, most inmates are incarcerated very far away from their loved ones. Visits and mail dwindle early, and in most cases end entirely within a few short years. Often family members feel so overwhelmed by the circumstances that they simply give up. Your positive, upbeat, encouraging correspondence can help fill this void and keep inmates’ spirits up – something that can impact their actions while incarcerated. We know that practically all American prisons long ago moved from the concept of rehabilitation to punishment solely. Everyone has heard the phrase “time off for good behavior.” How can your cards, notes, and letters promote “good behavior?” By encouraging a positive attitude, an attitude of realistic hopefulness, and the knowledge that someone on the outside cares. Believe it or not, your few words of sincere encouragement make a tremendous impact on an inmate. Don’t ever think that your one, brief letter does not make an impact. It does.

ENCOURAGE THEIR SKILLS…
Developing healthy interests, skills and
talents while incarcerated can lead to employment upon release.

When you correspond with inmates, a good area of discussion might be their skills, prior jobs, hobbies, and other interests. As a pen pal, you are in a unique position to suggest ways for them to hone their skills or develop new ones through jobs they hold at the prison, reading and studying manuals, even pursuing a hobby. Inmates have a tremendous amount of time on their hands. What better way to use this time than in learning something new or studying and preparing for a better life upon release? Once you know their interests and abilities, you might find discarded manuals and text books at your local library. Always check prison policies before sending materials to inmates. Some institutions only allow new materials sent directly from the publisher or Amazon.com. We are not suggesting you dip into your wallets. Perhaps you belong to a religious or civic organization that could sponsor materials for an inmate. At the very least, encourage your prison pen pals to reflect on their talents and skills in order to put them to work upon release. This gives them hope and something positive towards which they can work. If they are to be released within the year, encourage them to post a free resume on our website.

HELP WITH JOB SEARCHES…
Having a job waiting upon release is an important
insurance that an inmate can restart life with a positive
outcome, and it is usually a requirement for parole to be granted.

Once you know the geographic region in which your pen pal plans to reside, you can consult Job Corps, view jobs online for that region, check with employers in that area, and share any leads you find with your pen pal. You can also check with your own employer or other employers in your area regarding their policy on hiring someone who has been incarcerated. Some employers are “inmate friendly” and we will post these employers on our website.

SHARE SUPPORT INFORMATION…
Knowing which support groups and other resources
are available is a reassuring safety net for released inmates.

Once you know the geographic region in which your pen pal plans to reside, you can research possible support groups and other resources there. These might include Alcoholics Anonymous, religious organizations, etc. If the released inmate is facing a difficult time, having a solid, safe resource can make all the difference in preventing recidivism. Compile a list of resources with contact information to send to your inmate just before his/her release.

SHARE TRUE
SUCCESS STORIES…
“Success breeds success.”

This old saying has a lot of truth in it. There are hundreds of thousands of people that successfully reclaimed their lives and went on to live happy and productive lives once they left prison. Many even achieved greatness (e.g., Nathan McCall, Frank Abagnale). Having a role model can provide inspiration for inmates. When you come across a magazine article or memoir or any other success story, share it with your pen pal. Knowing that others have beat the odds can encourage them to do the same. We want them to “get out, and stay out!”

BE POLIITCALLY ACTIVE…
Standing up for the rights of others
is a way to protect your own rights as well.

Read the paper, listen to the news, and be aware of politically motivated legislation, human rights violations, unfair sentencing, and any other issues that further disenfranchise inmates. Many states have restored voting rights to inmates, due in large part to pressure from the community. A letter to your governor, senator, or representative has more impact than you might realize. A letter to the editor can reach thousands of voters and alert them to unjust practices. Be aware of what is going on, and invite others to join you in the political process.

EDUCATION…
Inmates that serve longer sentences tend to be
far less educated than those that serve shorter sentences.

Although it may seem like “locking the barn door once the horse gets out” it is still a good idea to educate inmates before releasing them back into society since so many of them are poorly educated when they enter prison. Some prisons do provide educational opportunities for inmates. If this is the case in your pen pal’s institution, strongly encourage him/her to make use of the opportunity. If there are no educational opportunities within the institution, help by researching correspondence courses, etc. that the inmate can use. Many inmates have earned college degrees while serving out their sentences. Encourage your pen pals to do the same. And to be truly proactive, let’s work on keeping people out of prison… Volunteer with your local literacy council or other agency to tutor illiterate adults. The correlation between illiteracy rates and incarceration rates is frightening and real. Promoting literacy promotes good citizenship.

ENCOURAGE PLANNING…
A cramped cell and isolation may not be conducive
to planning, but success does not happen by accident.

Encourage inmates to dream, yes, but setting goals and making realistic plans are essential for any dream to come true. Many inmate profiles describe some lofty dreams, such as owning their own business, etc. Certainly dreams can sustain us through some pretty dark times, but no inmate is going to walk out of the prison into the lifestyle some are imagining. This takes much planning and effort on their part, and the first days and weeks upon being released are crucial to preventing recidivism. They need a thorough plan regarding living arrangements, employment, and personal relationships. They need to be thinking ahead and planning out their responses to dilemmas such as old friends looking them up. (Good influence? Bad influence?) Yes, dreams are healthy and necessary, but a pragmatic approach to “getting out and staying out” will come of careful planning. If the inmate has other healthy relationships (e.g., families) besides yours, encourage these. Perhaps now is the time for inmates to be making amends and asking forgiveness. This is a very personal area, and as you develop your own friendship with your pen pals, you will have to decide what is appropriate as far as encouragement. But do encourage them to be realistic in their planning for the future.

MOVE FROM TOLERANCE TO ACCEPTANCE…
To truly accept others, faults and all,
is a level rarely attained by most people.

To merely “tolerate” others that are different from us – race, ethnicity, religion, etc. – is no longer sufficient if we really want to reduce recidivism. We must look beyond superficial differences and recognize that what we have in common is the human condition. For instance, African Americans are statistically over-represented in the prison system. If you are not African American, perhaps you are not comfortable writing to someone who is. However, these are the kinds of differences we must not merely “tolerate” but must “accept.” Educator James Banks has researched and written extensively on this topic. If you belong to a religious or civic organization (e.g., church group, Elks Club), encourage your fellow members to explore this concept. You could a) sponsor a letter-writing event to inmates; b) “adopt-an-inmate” and provide him/her with books and other educational materials; c) sponsor a “birthday club” in which each month cards were sent to inmates… the list is long. The idea is to select inmates to whom you might not typically reach out. Moving from tolerance to acceptance can require a great deal of effort, but it is easy to start.

And The Number One Way You Can Help Reduce Recidivism…

DOUBLE YOUR EFFORTS…
Invite a friend to join us in
our quest to reduce recidivism.

It’s a win-win effort. It’s a noble effort. If every single person reading this invited ONE friend or family member to join in the fight, we will succeed in reducing recidivism in our country! Talk to a friend, email our site, print a poster, get the word out at civic groups… And remember the words of anthropologist Margaret Meade: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”