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

 
javaDude

I am just curious if the majority have found their penpal by answering an ad on this site (or another site). Has anybody just written a random inmate they found on a Department of Corrections website? How about a high-profile inmate (like Jodi Arias).


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Kirsten

And just to answer this one: How did I find my pps? Through different ways. It started here, on this site and it went on with referrals. Ppl I wrote to asking me to write to someone they knew. or a person in the free world asking me to write to someone they knew.

In two cases just stories. In one case I read sth. that just made me angry. It was so unjust and plain against the very rules that this state claims as their policy that I felt moved to write. It had to do with finding a wheelchair-accessible dorm and halfway house. Being wheeliebound myself, I just couldn't believe the story and the photos. So I decided to contact that inmate and I did.

And another one came through another site, but this was also one of those "seeing and reading an ad the story and knowing inwardly I just HAD to respond." 

You know, some ads are... interesting, but not compelling. Others I felt like I had to respond to, because they either spoke to my heart or I knew /felt/sensed that I would've to bring sth. to the table. Like that wheelchair thing. Some things life uniquely qualifies you for,and when they're being called up, you'll know it.   

 
ClockworkDroog

I've gotten Pen Pals from this site. Usually I just look for women who I find attractive. At the moment I have no pen pals but I did see one woman on here I might write. Don't mean to sound like a creeper but simple fact of the matter is a guy in prison is not going to want to correspond with a guy. I've tried a few times, the men don't respond, the women do. 

 
Northernyank

I found all of mine on here.

 
KateAndrews

My story is I went looking for a prison penpal and found this site. I chose by birthday and by three states close together; Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
I don't believe they were high profile cases. I picked two by release date of over 7 years and another two years.
1 was snailmail and is being released next month.
2 and 3 are Jpay. With a long stretch ahead still.

I also found penpals 4, 5, 6 and 7 a few months later. By birthday's Coming up
4 Iowa has escaped
5 Alabama Lifer. His death made the papers here in the UK. RIP
6 Texas Death Row. Snailmail.
7 Colorado who I have a strong relationship with and have visited.

I didn't stop there by the end of 2017 I had 11
8 Massacheutts Lifer.
9 Ohio Lifer
10 California Long Stretch ahead
11 Michigan over 7 years.

I still write to all bar the two that are 'just gone'
Different levels of commitment, some are easy to write to, others are difficult but they all know I am hear to share their experiences if they wish to share.
Some I write weekly others every other month. It can be as simple as a Everything OK with you?
They are all different and worth getting to know.

 
KateAndrews

Awe glad it's working out for you.

 
PeteMo

My journey is a little different. I got my usual Pinterest on Newfie Dogs and there was a link when searching on google to a media article by the Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky, following the Paws With Purpose dog training programme run by female inmates at KCIW. My girl was featured when the news crew wanted to tail a dog trainer throughout their typical day. I liked what they did and had a crazy idea about writing to her to tell her that what sje was doing was fantastic. Typed her name in google and up came a prisoner number, photos' clearly of her and Kentucky DOC. This webiste was a link from 2 of the photos. After much debating and general advice from folk here on this site, I wrote to her, she wrote back and we began JPaying each other daily. Fast forward and I visited her in February this year around my birthday. My first time in the USA, first time driving on the wrong side of the road, loved the Interstate roads. We still have a few years to go before her release, but we take it one day at a time. This site gave me info on visiting a pen pal, and I cannot thank foolk enough for sharing their experiences and expertise.

 
Rodrigo1974

some never respond. others get my message 8 months after i've sent it. one wrote one letter where he sounded really sincere but wanted me to put money into his account, which i didn't do. another one is great. i send him books and packages, and he writes me regularly. it's really hit or miss. it should also be highly encouraged. these are forgotten people and most of them have been rejected by their families and have no friends, either.

 
Scarlett_pink

YEP 

I suppose if you put the data of the prisoner, maybe you can find it, you can write it, and it will arrive but very late, the same thing happens to me, I am new to this              
 
BabyBlueEyes

This is the only site i've found PP's on. I wasn't looking to write to prisoners, i came across it by accident really and my initial thought was "wow, people write to prisoners, well that's crazy!" and here i am, one of the crazy ones!

I've written to 7 in total - one has been released, one stopped writing, waiting on a response from one, have a good connection with 3 and the other i'm finding it a bit more difficult with, i think that may fade out soon.

I wouldn't really be interested in writing to a high profile prisoner. 2 of mine had a fair amount of media coverage (one locally, the other even made it over the UK newspapers) but i didn't know that until i googled after i had written, it definitely wasn't the basis for choosing them.

I have to admit, i don't know who Jodi Arias either lol.

 
GalapagosDiver

This is by far the best and most comprehensive prison penpal website. It's also a lot clearer what people's intentions are too. So you're able to apply your own filters a lot easier in your penpal search, ultimately meaning you find a compatible penpal quicker.

2 of mine have been from here, 1 from another site. None of them are celebrities or well known inmates. I wouldn't really be interested in such a correspondence anyway - I already have a "celebrity" friend and have met numerous high profile people over the years. Because I'm not based in the US, what a high-profile inmate might be to you, is completely unheard of to me. For example, who is Jodi Arias? Haha

 
javaDude

BTW Sorry I posted this in wrong category. I am a newbie :)

 
vynte

My pen pals are from this site. I've looked at other sites, but I didn't like the sites' layouts, design and search features (or lack thereof). Other pen pals sites look sloppy and outdated, to me. I briefly corresponded with two inmates who were well-known in their respective states, but I didn't click with either of them at all, so those acquaintances faded out pretty quick. At present I have five pen pals. Two are expected to be paroled this year, and when they are, I won't be looking for two new pals. I'll just stick with the three that are left.

 
MichaelWStabosz

Just from this site. I would never want to write to a nationally known inmate because they're already getting a ton of mail. I'd rather give to those who don't get attention.

One pen pal was a little high profile in her area for a while, but I didn't actually find that out until I sent my first letter. Another inmate who was also in the news a lot in her area of Ohio wrote me. I'd written a different inmate in the same prison and that inmate passed my address to her. This happens sometimes and happened to me 3 times. Usually I just throw the letters away but this time I decided to respond because I want an Ohio based inmate.

 
Sunnysideup

Just from this site. I did look at other sites, but this one seems to me to be more "honest", can't think of the right word. No inclination at all to write to high profile inmates.