Skip to main content

Must read Terms of Service & Privacy Policy and be at least 18

Must read Terms of Service & Privacy Policy and be at least 18

 
lollyann

One of my pp started mailing me via corrlinks .Do they get set times to access it in prison or do they have to wait in line to use it ?Can they just use it once a day or more ?I know this has probably been asked before but I cannot fond a thread .Many Thanks

[COLOR="silver"][SIZE=1]- - - Updated - - -[/SIZE][/COLOR]

Not Fond /Find excuse the spelling


Last post
143 posts / 0 new

 
rainy daze

And about all the mental illness vs. inherent evil vs. there is good in everyone-
I think all people have something good in them. When you look at someone's life as a whole, sometimes the harm they have done others grossly outweighs the good moments they have had. That doesn't change the fact that the good HAPPENED, though.
I can tell you that some people who committed some pretty gruesome murders would have never thought themselves capable. My lifer, for example, his crime was kinda bad. But he had never hurt anyone (physically) til the day he murdered someone. (As far as I know, and his story makes sense based on what I know about him and the world and people in general.) He lived a wild lifestyle, selling drugs, using drugs, etc., and one day the thrill of the big bad guy role, the pressure of trying to show other men that he's a boss, the adrenaline of a dangerous situation, it got the best of him and he did what he did. If that one day hadn't happened, he could easily have grown up and moved on with his life and settled down into something legit, or he could have continued his lifestyle and ended up in prison for a different crime, but for him and many others, one thirty minute section of time is what turned a person from a troubled, wild young man who loves his family and likes to travel the world and record music into a someone serving 2 lives plus 20. To say that that all murders are evil people is just too much of a stretch. His victim was an adult male drug user and sex offender who was armed with a deadly weapon. His sentence is equal to some who have murdered ten year old little girls. Am I saying one life is worth more than another? No, but I will say that in MY MIND if your victim is someone who is willingly participating in a criminal activity that is known to be dangerous, you should not receive the same punishment as someone who has a victim that is perfectly innocent.
Like I've said before, some people commit crimes that are never prosecuted, and go on to do something awesome, and history will label them as a hero...while someone else may do a million good deeds and then commit one awful crime, and history will label them as evil. There is so much gray area in the human experience that it is very presumptuous and shallow to be sure that someone is all bad or all good.

I like this post, but I'm still going to agree with myself that some people are evil. I don't care if they like rainbows.

 
Marianela

And about all the mental illness vs. inherent evil vs. there is good in everyone-
I think all people have something good in them. When you look at someone's life as a whole, sometimes the harm they have done others grossly outweighs the good moments they have had. That doesn't change the fact that the good HAPPENED, though.
I can tell you that some people who committed some pretty gruesome murders would have never thought themselves capable. My lifer, for example, his crime was kinda bad. But he had never hurt anyone (physically) til the day he murdered someone. (As far as I know, and his story makes sense based on what I know about him and the world and people in general.) He lived a wild lifestyle, selling drugs, using drugs, etc., and one day the thrill of the big bad guy role, the pressure of trying to show other men that he's a boss, the adrenaline of a dangerous situation, it got the best of him and he did what he did. If that one day hadn't happened, he could easily have grown up and moved on with his life and settled down into something legit, or he could have continued his lifestyle and ended up in prison for a different crime, but for him and many others, one thirty minute section of time is what turned a person from a troubled, wild young man who loves his family and likes to travel the world and record music into a someone serving 2 lives plus 20. To say that that all murders are evil people is just too much of a stretch. His victim was an adult male drug user and sex offender who was armed with a deadly weapon. His sentence is equal to some who have murdered ten year old little girls. Am I saying one life is worth more than another? No, but I will say that in MY MIND if your victim is someone who is willingly participating in a criminal activity that is known to be dangerous, you should not receive the same punishment as someone who has a victim that is perfectly innocent.
Like I've said before, some people commit crimes that are never prosecuted, and go on to do something awesome, and history will label them as a hero...while someone else may do a million good deeds and then commit one awful crime, and history will label them as evil. There is so much gray area in the human experience that it is very presumptuous and shallow to be sure that someone is all bad or all good.

 
Fire Walk With Me

My corrlinks took his ad down. I guess he found a special connection with someone and didn't want new letters.;)

I can relate. Good job, boo.

 
rainy daze

I'm new too. But I feel I have authority, even if no one else thinks I do:welcomewagon:

[COLOR="silver"][SIZE=1]- - - Updated - - -[/SIZE][/COLOR]

My corrlinks took his ad down. I guess he found a special connection with someone and didn't want new letters.;)

Yeah, he and I really hit it off.

 
Marianela

My corrlinks took his ad down. I guess he found a special connection with someone and didn't want new letters.;)

 
Marianela

Hi there! I hope you don't mind if I just jump in here.

First, I want to say that I've been following a lot of threads in here and you guy crack me up! I'm looking forward to getting to know you all better.

As far as mental illness goes, I don't think it is the cause of many heinous crimes. I worked in behavioral health for several years, and it's pretty rare that people with mental illnesses are violent. It's about the same as the general population. The crimes I saw most often were related to alcohol and drugs. People with, say, schizophrenia, aren't really more dangerous in general than people without a mental illness. There are many many more factors that go into causing someone to be violent.

That's not to say that someone who would kill and dismember another human being doesn't have something effed up going on in their mind. But a lot of those killers don't have something that is known or diagnosable. Some people are sociopaths, but that's not really a mental illness.

Being the bleeding heart that I am, I give a lot of weight to people's background stories. Not that people who had a horrible upbringing aren't responsible for their actions, but I think it can explain a lot if, for example, a person was to be in a gang. I think a lot of young people in those circumstances would not be incarcerated if they had better options available to them.

You're in.
Lol, I'm still new too so I really have no authority to say that. But nice to meet you, I agree with you, and behind all the chatter about my thing with my corrlinks guy, I'm actually devoted to being a friend to the other inmates that i write to, and I am all too familiar with the culture of gang and street mentality, because I have a family member who is drowning in it, and had I not made some big decisions the way I did 14 years ago, I'd be right there with them. That deserves a "longest run-on sentence award".
So welcome, and I look forward to your posts!!

 
rainy daze

Hi there! I hope you don't mind if I just jump in here.

First, I want to say that I've been following a lot of threads in here and you guy crack me up! I'm looking forward to getting to know you all better.

As far as mental illness goes, I don't think it is the cause of many heinous crimes. I worked in behavioral health for several years, and it's pretty rare that people with mental illnesses are violent. It's about the same as the general population. The crimes I saw most often were related to alcohol and drugs. People with, say, schizophrenia, aren't really more dangerous in general than people without a mental illness. There are many many more factors that go into causing someone to be violent.

That's not to say that someone who would kill and dismember another human being doesn't have something effed up going on in their mind. But a lot of those killers don't have something that is known or diagnosable. Some people are sociopaths, but that's not really a mental illness.

Being the bleeding heart that I am, I give a lot of weight to people's background stories. Not that people who had a horrible upbringing aren't responsible for their actions, but I think it can explain a lot if, for example, a person was to be in a gang. I think a lot of young people in those circumstances would not be incarcerated if they had better options available to them.

I agree with everything you said. You can stay ;)

 
Tofutefisk

Hi there! I hope you don't mind if I just jump in here.

First, I want to say that I've been following a lot of threads in here and you guy crack me up! I'm looking forward to getting to know you all better.

As far as mental illness goes, I don't think it is the cause of many heinous crimes. I worked in behavioral health for several years, and it's pretty rare that people with mental illnesses are violent. It's about the same as the general population. The crimes I saw most often were related to alcohol and drugs. People with, say, schizophrenia, aren't really more dangerous in general than people without a mental illness. There are many many more factors that go into causing someone to be violent.

That's not to say that someone who would kill and dismember another human being doesn't have something effed up going on in their mind. But a lot of those killers don't have something that is known or diagnosable. Some people are sociopaths, but that's not really a mental illness.

Being the bleeding heart that I am, I give a lot of weight to people's background stories. Not that people who had a horrible upbringing aren't responsible for their actions, but I think it can explain a lot if, for example, a person was to be in a gang. I think a lot of young people in those circumstances would not be incarcerated if they had better options available to them.

 
lollyann

I think in the UK Mental Illness is used to much for an escape from the Law and long sentence or easier sentence .However In Other countries Mental Illness does not seen to affect the length of a sentence and they are not helped like they are in the UK most of the time they stuck back in AD SEG to be driven even more insane .One of my penpals in my opinion would have a right to play the my childhood made me do this card yet he always says I made the choice to do the crime and now I am taking my punishment .

 
februarymoon

I agree with this. Not all evil is based on mental illness.

Nope. Not all evil. I think there's a huge difference between deriving pleasure from torturing and gutting people and committing a crime through desperation or a momentary lapse of judgement. I watched a documentary on Dennis Nilsen the other day. How he enjoyed killing his victims (there were 16 of them) and he kept their bodies in his home to talk to them and even got his sexual pleasures from them. Then he cut them up and kept the body parts in various places of his home. He actually enjoyed what he did. Now that's a mental illness.

 
februarymoon

Things happen for a reason. Even if the reason baffles us at first.

 
rainy daze

But that's very different than natural law- being selfish is not the same as something we all know instinctively as evil.

But I am impressed with you journey :)

[COLOR="silver"][SIZE=1]- - - Updated - - -[/SIZE][/COLOR]

*your*

 
lollyann

I think there is good and bad in all walks of life .People think finery and material things and status in life make a good person .However that is far from true .What is deep in the soul is what makes a person and we all need to learn different lessons to become the person we meant to be .Before I had my son who is autistic with many complex needs I own up to thinking I was great with my other 3 great children who in my eyes were perfect .I had a lovely house ,nice clothes ,tan ,make up .Judging others etc .I now look at who I am and how much my son has taught me in the 5 and a half years his been here and I think I am so glad I am the person I am now .I was an arrogant self centred person before .I am now the person I want to be .

 
NorthernLight

I don't always think it's mental illness. I think some people are just rotten. But this is one of those topics that people usually go either way on.

I agree with this. Not all evil is based on mental illness.

 
rainy daze

No I agree that torturing and gutting another human is evidence of severe mental illness. It's not even a moment of rage or a bad decision that leads you to that.

I don't always think it's mental illness. I think some people are just rotten. But this is one of those topics that people usually go either way on.

 
Anonymous

He also acted like he was a rock star.

Dozens of groupies will give that added ego boost every serial killer needs!

 
februarymoon

No I agree that torturing and gutting another human is evidence of severe mental illness. It's not even a moment of rage or a bad decision that leads you to that.

 
rainy daze

I think it's not so much what the press chose to tell so much as ...... someone who has it in them to commit those types of crimes...someone that has the stomach to do that... probably doesn't have a whole lot of good in them.

If people want to write people who have gutted and tortured other human beings...that's their prerogative ... but it's those criminals and those crimes, to me, that negates any glimmer of "good" that could be found within them.

I don't think a "good" person could torture another human being. That's not a crime that happens because you shot a gun or robbed a bank or pulled a knife.

He also acted like he was a rock star.

 
Anonymous

I didn't know him so I don't know. I only know what the press chose to tell us. If you only knew about my man what the press chose to tell you you'd probably think there was no good in him.

I think it's not so much what the press chose to tell so much as ...... someone who has it in them to commit those types of crimes...someone that has the stomach to do that... probably doesn't have a whole lot of good in them.

If people want to write people who have gutted and tortured other human beings...that's their prerogative ... but it's those criminals and those crimes, to me, that negates any glimmer of "good" that could be found within them.

I don't think a "good" person could torture another human being. That's not a crime that happens because you shot a gun or robbed a bank or pulled a knife.

 
rainy daze

I didn't know him so I don't know. I only know what the press chose to tell us. If you only knew about my man what the press chose to tell you you'd probably think there was no good in him.

True, but HE certainly gave the press a lot to work with.

 
februarymoon

Even Ramirez? I don't see any good in that guy.

I didn't know him so I don't know. I only know what the press chose to tell us. If you only knew about my man what the press chose to tell you you'd probably think there was no good in him.

 
rainy daze

Sometimes I'm not concerned if someone is a good person or not. You can dream of killing people all day long for all I care, as long as you don't do it.

 
rainy daze

You see I think all people are born good. And they stay that way. I don't think people become un-good. I think some allow un-good thoughts and actions to take over for a while. But I don't think anyone loses the basic good that is in us all.

Even Ramirez? I don't see any good in that guy.

 
Anonymous

Yea I agree...I always tell him that...his soul isn't lost forever just because of some bad decision made as a young man.
And someone truly bad wouldn't spend all of his time mentoring young angry convicts into doing better things with their lives once they're free.

But...I like his perspective and that he never tries to make excuses for what he's done.

 
februarymoon

You see I think all people are born good. And they stay that way. I don't think people become un-good. I think some allow un-good thoughts and actions to take over for a while. But I don't think anyone loses the basic good that is in us all.

 
Anonymous

One of mine fully admits he's a bad person. He doesn't do bad things any more and has dedicated his life to doing good to balance off all the harm he's done. But... I appreciate that he doesn't try to pull the "im actually good..." angle.

 
februarymoon

Febmoon I agree with what your saying .I would not accept Its not my fault .I would rather I am not a bad person however I have made bad choices and decisions but I know what I did .I am owning it and I am trying to change it .

And that's exactly how both my pp's and my man view their situation. And ultimately how most people who place an ad here view their situation. Placing an ad here to me basically says "ok I was wrong. I shouldn't have done that. But I'm still a decent person inside and I would like a friend to write to and help me get back on the track I strayed from". Apart from those that just want money. But we can all see past them.

My pp in Kansas is doing LWOP and I asked him whether he had exhausted all options of appealing his sentence. He said to me "Yes, I have no chance left to appeal. But why should I appeal? I killed those dudes. I deserve everything I get. What I did was a most terrible thing. But what matters is using my time here to show that there's more to me than a murder conviction".

 
lollyann

Febmoon I agree with what your saying .I would not accept Its not my fault .I would rather I am not a bad person however I have made bad choices and decisions but I know what I did .I am owning it and I am trying to change it .

 
lollyann

Stagnated I agree there is no point messing around .I admire anyone who comes out and owns what they did .

 
februarymoon

But don't you think that part of "moving past that" is recognising that you have made bad choices? I'd rather someone say "I'm a good person who made bad choices" than someone say "it's not my fault. It's just the way I am". It takes a lot of courage for some people to admit they have made mistakes and poor choices in their life. I think that has to be applauded and respected.

 
Stagnated

I know this will not be a popular comment and I truly do believe that people can change and certainly mature, however when I come across such statements as

Bad decisions do not make someone a bad person
I'm not a bad person, I just made some bad decisions
I'm a good person who made some bad choices

and all the endless variations including the cliched "good girl in bad situation" invariably in the first paragraph of so many ads I almost immediately go :roll: since in many instances it is being used as a line to cover up all previous bad deeds and place them in the irrelevant category and imply its "all big one mistake" that their even incarcerated in the first place so lets forget about it and never mention it again.

On the other hand, I surely do respect those ads and individuals who come straight out in their ads and say "yeah I did it, I was stupid so here I sit" or even "It seemed a good idea at the time". [I]Then[/I] I have no problem easily moving past that and into a possible friendship.

 
Anonymous

Well I will clarify again his ad said nothing like that and he certainly never went out of his way to tell me about AD SEG .It was a good few letters in before it was even talked about .Had I have been boyfriend shopping I would have probably picked one with there chest bare and in a different state that I could talk on the phone to .Instead I went with what I was drawn to which was intelligence and laughter .I like those traits in a friend .

I don't think anyone thinks you were boyfriend shopping?

 
lollyann

Well I will clarify again his ad said nothing like that and he certainly never went out of his way to tell me about AD SEG .It was a good few letters in before it was even talked about .Had I have been boyfriend shopping I would have probably picked one with there chest bare and in a different state that I could talk on the phone to .Instead I went with what I was drawn to which was intelligence and laughter .I like those traits in a friend .

 
Stagnated

we once had a post running on here about what makes a good ad and I went mad as someone said bad boy AD SEG looks good

That was likely me, and I still maintain and history has shown and demonstrated again and again that many women respond to this sort of ad, and which really would have been the point of any thread asking what sort and what do you say in an ad that gets responses.

 
februarymoon

I'm nodding in agreement.

 
lollyann

I agree bad decisions does not make someone a bad person .Life is all about learning and we get taught the same lesson till we learn .It takes some of us longer to learn .I don't just mean people in prison .I mean in life .Women get hit and go back and back again till they learn .Alcoholics the same ,drugs the same .People who lie the same .The list goes on the lessons will be taught till it is learnt .I don't judge anyone so for the record febmoon even if I was not close with my pp I would not judge another's situation because I never know when I will be in that situation myself .You know your man as a person from his soul not just what is written on paper .

 
februarymoon

8 years in ad seg is very tough and I'm sure he'd appreciate a visit if you can get it to work out. My man is currently in seg and the visits are hard work emotionally. I know my man has a reputation among some on here for being no good because he is a repeat offender and is guilty as all get out on all but one of his charges but he's not a bad person. He just made some bad decisions. It sounds like your pp is similar. A good person who made some bad choices. It could so easily have been one of us.

 
lollyann

I don't know if you can remember this feb moon but we once had a post running on here about what makes a good ad and I went mad as someone said bad boy AD SEG looks good .Well he has been in AD SEG 8 years and never for one second did I think I would ever contemplate visiting but every time I have doubted him his come back at me to prove me wrong .Even sending me trial transcripts .His without a doubt done more to prove himself than any man I know on the outside .Yes his guilty but like he said his owned it .My plan is to go for a holiday and treat the visit if hughes let me visit as a bonus .

 
februarymoon

I've been to Hughes unit!

I visited my pp earlier this year in Washington when I happened to be in Seattle with work. It was great fun. He probably enjoyed it more than me because his family only visit once a year. It was a contact visit because that's how it is there but he said he would have liked even a window visit. It does mean a lot to them but it is a massive undertaking from the UK. I'm very fortunate that I don't pay for flights otherwise I wouldn't be able to visit my man very often.

 
lollyann

I thought I could visit. I want to visit him like I said before even behind a screen /glass whatever people call it I don't mind because his proved to me his someone I would want on my side and part of my future even as a friend .

 
lollyann

Febmoon my Texas man is in Hughes TDCJ

 
februarymoon

I think you have the right attitude.

I can't even promise my man forever because who knows? Life is a long time when you're not really living...

BTW -since your Texas pp is in the TDCJ you can visit. If you want to, of course.

 
lollyann

There can be ways around it but nothing to get excited over .His sister in law is from the UK so we have thought about using that route but we will see .If I don't get to visit then that is how it is meant to be .Part of my journey in life as I would see it .I actually want to meet his daughter more as we get on so well .When his released I may still be single ,he may want to get on with his life without speaking to me again .Who knows what the future holds .I enjoy writing to him and speaking to his family . He may get his parole for next year but then he may not with it being Texas .Please do not think I am sat waiting for someone in prison because that is not the case as I said earlier we both don't really know what will happen or where this will go .I don't say a lot on here but I take a lot in from others who are married .Those who don't agree with others having relationships with prisoners .Those who say they would never visit .It is surprising how peoples opinions can quickly change .That is the thing about life we here to learn lessons and grow as a person .

 
Welshy

I agree that something as instant and as regular as Corrlinks messaging does or can be totally changes the dynamic as it's so much more regular contact. Some days it just feels like texting another friend like I do with my free world friends! We didn't start using it for a few months of letters because I didn't know if that's what I wanted for a pen pal, also said no phone calls...ops!

We write letters as well and calling next week so if that goes well it might be a regular thing. I keep all my letters in a folder and now print out all my emails as well so now I have 1 folder for 4 pals and another 1 just for him in 7 months.

Funny how we think are attracted to the different states as well, I remember you saying Sask about IL before. The states varies and I might not even realise it at the time but all the guys I get on with the best so far have been country rather than city guys as well.

 
februarymoon

Not only that but if he's in Federal you can't even visit him right? That must be hard to just have letters. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have phone calls or visits.

Her Texas pp is in the TDCJ. The fed one is a different one. He's in Tucson.

 
Anonymous

Wouldn't that simply be a case of the sheer amount of inmates there are in Texas versus most other states and even moreso for California despite the ridiculous 6 week mail turnaround.

While I cannot speak for others I certainly have avoided specific states for a number of reasons.

Texas was always #1 on my avoid list...although I can't think of anyone I ever looked at from there. I did end up with a Texas penpal by accident.
The swag of the Illinois gent always caught my fancy more than any other state I suppose.
To each their own though :)

 
Stagnated

It's a very popular penpal state considering it has few perks for a relationship. Although I guess that would imply people don't think of that up front.

Wouldn't that simply be a case of the sheer amount of inmates there are in Texas versus most other states and even moreso for California despite the ridiculous 6 week mail turnaround.

While I cannot speak for others I certainly have avoided specific states for a number of reasons.

 
rainy daze

It's possible, but difficult. I'm the emergency contact and I still might not get approved.

It doesn't really bother me though. I don't want to visit. I don't want to go inside the prison. I would only do it for his sake. So I kinda hope they don't approve me

 
rainy daze

Well, mine isn't turning out that well but I'm glad that others have found good pen pals that way.

I don't know where that's written. I think on another forum it's talked about a lot so that's where I got that information. I think it's also in the Federal visiting guidelines but I'm not really sure.

It's possible, but difficult. I'm the emergency contact and I still might not get approved.

 
Beanz

Beanz, go for it!! That's how I got mine, I think it was Northern L.'s corrlinks thread that motivated me to find one. Best decision I've made in years.

I have tried. Ill see if any new PPs write back. I got TWO new answers but neither were Federal.