Florida Prison Pen Pals!!!

That should be "political prisoners" sorry fpr the mis-spelling.

I think banning communication between pen pals and an inmate is in all ways counterproductive and an inhumane atrocity commited by the government agency(ies). Yes criminals have reduced rights some for security sake others for punishment but to ban concentual communication between two willing parties when this is a so called free country well I find it offensive.

I think its vile to remain silent when a government commits an abomination upon its people. To me not letting inmates write a friend is an abomination. I would agree if they said hey an inmate can only have 5 pen pals. I would not like it but it demonstrates a small spirit of rehabilitation mixed in with punishment of not having an unfettered free world right to communicate. But to ban all pen pal communication is just vile, stupid and inhumane. Banning communication with pen pals makes all affected inmates polital prisoners at that point as such we are no better than China, Cuba and other police state gulag mongers.

that would be "week", not "weak".... sorry for the Freudian slip.

Unfortunately the DOC of any state has some control over basic rights and privledges, and yes... one of those happens to be correspondence. If anyone is planning to advocate for the prisoners in Florida, just be as diplomatic as possible. Sugar will get you further than vinegar any day of the weak. It's okay to be outraged, just keep your emotions in check.

Thank you LawDog for pointing out what most of us need to hear. I see we have a very passionate group of people here, and that speaks volumes for this site. However, it is good to bring a voice of reason. No matter what the Constitution says, all in all... life is unfair.

Just keep doing what you can do, with the people you can do it with. Don't compromise the inmates time in there anymore than necessary. Especially if it is going to effect any of their good time. It's a very uneven playing field when it comes to the DOC. Be advised... as citizens, we are the very unwelcomed visitors. Our fate can truly be in their hands. At all costs, take caution in your advocacy.

Tina and Susan,

You can write convicted felons until the cows come home, aint no one gonna stop you. The folks from the DOC just may try to make sure that the convicted felons never read your letters!

Got it?

This is the banning of free speech. The first amendment protects material presumptively. I am against censorship of any kind. What is this? Is this not America? You have the right to write whoever you want to and even a convicted felon. Law Dog is correct though. Forget writing the Department of Corrections! Write the governor’s office, your congressmen and the media. Tell everyone your name and position on this matter. Oh, and if you’re afraid of some little Gestapo wanna be list or getting someone thrown in the hole, just remember that greater men and women than us have died fighting for these rights. For the love of God people, protect them.

Tina Pierson
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Michael as you so easily put it that law posted this too and they ARE NOT gettin the basic things like this "In general, the law requires only that the basic human needs of prisoners be met. That means that prisoners must be provided food, shelter, clothing, basic medical services for serious health problems, and the means to petition the government for redress of grievances. These modest legal requirements are intended to satisfy only the bare, minimum necessities of life." yes they get clothing, but they have to PAY for medical so they are doing what gettin shelter that is cold in winter and hotter then Hades in summer mainly all they are gettin is clothing so here my friend Michael I disagree and no hard feelings to you Michael at all.

If someone trys to stop me from communicating with someone, my rights are being violated.

Wolfie and Susan,

Please take a closer look at what Law DOg wrote. I am going to quote from his post:

"Upon conviction and incarceration, practically all rights of citizenship are extinguished (often referred to as "civil death"). In general, the law requires only that the basic human needs of prisoners be met. That means that prisoners must be provided food, shelter, clothing, basic medical services for serious health problems, and the means to petition the government for redress of grievances. These modest legal requirements are intended to satisfy only the bare, minimum necessities of life.

The courts have been exceptionally "hands off" to the experience and expertise of correctional officials in cases questioning the validity of prison rules and regulations. Although inmates retain some rights under the First Amendment (for example, the right of free speech and the right freely to practice one's religion), those rights may be RESTRICTED in the interest of legitimate penological concerns."

Susan, in the scenario being discussed here, no one is attempting to interfere with your right to write whoever you want: the issue under discussion is the INMATES right to SEND and RECEIVE mail which, under the law, can be restricted.

And sorry Wolfie, my friend, but the reality is that prisoners do not enjoy the same consitutional rights as the rest of us (if they did, they wouldn't be in prison).

As I said before, I love my pen pals but facts are facts people.

and so are the inmates they have a right to write who they want too

I have the right to write a letter to anyone I want. MY constitutional rights are being violated.

All I can say is THANK YOU VERY MUCH for you much needed highest quality insights and advice LAW DOG Dude! I am really beginning to hate Florida's government for the loathesome things it advocates. I am all for getting tough on crime and criminals but shutting down pen pals is so stupid because it's so counter productive. I was way wild and viciously anti-social till just rescently in life. If was by my contacting people learning to first tollerate them then almost even like them that gave me the ability to be the limited success I am today in the world. I understand the legal logic of what Florida is doing but where is the logic in making an already anti-social man even more so by isolating him from the people he needs to experience to get better.

Me when I was in my violently anti-social stage I would fight to the death anyone who even tired to put me in the company of other people. At least most these inmates seeking pen pals want human companionship. It took me 16 years to even be convinced human companionship was worth seeking. The first step to dealing with being anti-social is to learn to like being amomg people first by talking with them in non-threatening ways. I learned to talk to people and really like them by chatting with gay men in chat rooms. It took ten more years of chatroom talk and psychological help for me to like people enough to risk using what I learned to talk to people real time. However talking to people that honestly care about you is crictical to making an antisocial being see people as something more than prey or things to be avoided at all costs. No I am still not a social butterfly. I still really honestly to noy LOVE being in the company of people but I do value them now. I do know people add joy to this world. I do know that no matter what the lonewolf antisocial impulses that guide me say I MUST ALWAYS GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE BEFORE AVOIDING THEM!

This is not a dig against you Law Dog because you are the best with no equals. I am just hurt by Florida's attitude because had it not been for what I learned in chat with people who wanted to chat with me I would still be an antisocial monster to this day. My heart cry's because Florida by removing pen pals is taking the one chance that saved my life away from my less fortunate antisocial brothers in Florida Prisons.

All Florida is doing is making their prisons a breeding ground for the kinds of antisocial inhumanity so horrible if I shared what it looked like it the reading of it would drive everyone off this message board. I must say after seeing how Florida acts. I am no longer in favor of the death penalty because, to take away pen pals is to make a monster of a man making states like Florida share the guilt of those they condemn. Thanks for opening my eyes LawDog even if I am forced to cry for the loss shouldered my antisocial brothers in Florida.

Thank you, writergirl! I would love to know what if anything the ACLU will do.

By the way guys, I will always speak out against people like this. Especially against the people doing it such as the FL DOC is in this case. It's just the way I am...AMERICAN!!!

That's scary stuff, law dog. Thanks for the warning. Not-a-fan-of-florida, I'll put in a phone call tomorrow to a man I know at the FL ACLU and see what I can find out re: status updates. He's a busy man, so give me a few days for an answer! :-)

You do not have to mention an inmate's name when you write the DOC to be "tagged". The central office AND the institutions have an internal intelligence network among all Institutional Investigators. They all share information.

When you write to inmates, lists are often created to track the correspondents of the inmates, outside of immediate family. Visitation lists are cross-referenced with inmate names, and often with the "unofficial mailing list" kept by Investigators.

Ultimately, it is VERY possible to connect YOU with a particular inmate; one that you write to or one that you visit. When the administration gets the "hate mail" it is often turned over to the Investigator, who then cross-references it to his "intelligence" database, and shares that information with other Institutional Investigators throughout the system.

When a "match" is made, the inmate or inmates in question will be singled out. The letter-writer will also be tagged as a "trouble-maker" and the institution will have you on a "hot-list" or a "flag file". When you write to your inmate, your mail will be delayed or lost, or at the very least, closely scrutinized. When you go to visit, you could be subject to a long wait, only to be told that your inmate friend had a sudden appointment that could not be cancelled. Your visitation will be cancelled.

I cannot stress enough that it is perilous for any of you to write any complaint letters directly to the Department of Corrections Commissioner, the Warden, or anyone else at the administration level. Working with a public interest group eliminates the possibility of you or your inmate being specifically identified and "tagged". The ACLU or some other organization is more annonymous in these regards, as they have no "personal" interest in the policy decisions that might affect YOU or your INMATE directly. Putting your name (and quite likely the name of your inmate) directly in front of the Administration is risky.

Dear Not-A-Florida-Fan-and-others,

Listen, I am not a big fan of Florida either, the east coast/Palm Beach area is TACKY (though I do enjoy the west coast; Sanibel Island is like paradise). I am also a dedicated inmate pen pal and the two pen pals I am closest with are both incarcerated in Florida. I really love these guys. But please people, we can't be all fuzzy emotions; we have to use our BRAINS a little bit. Listen up:

Law Dog has extensive experience in the corrections field and is willing to share his expertise: I would follow his advice and address your concerns to the Florida Chapter of the ACLU or a similar organization. These people are professional advocates for constitutional rights; that is their business. If you write the DOC directly your letter will just end up on some bureaucrats desk and he or she will think of you as just another "wacko pen pal" from the Internet. And yes, even if you don't mention your inmate pen pal's name in the letter, they will figure out who it is from the return address of all your correspondence. And yes, these people have many subtle and technically legal ways to make life miserable for our pen pals.

Please people, just a little BRAINS!

Great to have you back Law Dog!

You da Man!

I'd like to point out that FL has YET to do anything. This is all just a possibilty right now. I would still write the DOC and not mention any particular inmate's name. Just tell them you are opposed to this idea. One letter is suppose to be the voice of a hundred people. I'd write them if you are against this. It's a free country and WE ARE intitled to out rights! I guess I had got some bad info. before, but the DOC has failed to make this stick in every other state. There has to be a reason the DOC loses in court every time they try to remove inmates from the internet.

nice to see your message lawdog. havent seen any messages from you for a while. hope all was ok???

Because Arizona and Florida are in different Federal Districts, the decision by the Court in the Arizona Federal District has no bearing on the State of Florida or any State within another Federal District. The only Court decisions that have sweeping, all-inclusive effect on ALL States are those coming out of the UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT. Typically, this is where such an issue may end up, as it is purported to be a Constitutional question.

One must remember that a prison inmate (in ANY state, unless decided otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction) has no Constitutional right to telephone calls, and their mail (even legal mail) can be RESTRICTED. In the interest if preserving First Amendment rights, however, inmate mail cannot be CENSORED, but rather INSPECTED (although the term "censoring" is used interchangeably, and mostly incorrectly). The inmate has no specific Constitutional right in posting advertising on a "penpal" website, magazine, newspaper, or any other such medium.

The States must ONLY comply with the Constitutional guarantees in the treatment of inmates, as dictated by the U.S. Supreme Court, or, in some cases either by the Federal District Court that has jurisdiction over THAT State, or by THAT State's Appellate or Supreme Court.

Upon conviction and incarceration, practically all rights of citizenship are extinguished (often referred to as "civil death"). In general, the law requires only that the basic human needs of prisoners be met. That means that prisoners must be provided food, shelter, clothing, basic medical services for serious health problems, and the means to petition the government for redress of grievances. These modest legal requirements are intended to satisfy only the bare, minimum necessities of life.

The courts have been exceptionally "hands off" to the experience and expertise of correctional officials in cases questioning the validity of prison rules and regulations. Although inmates retain some rights under the First Amendment (for example, the right of free speech and the right freely to practice one's religion), those rights may be RESTRICTED in the interest of legitimate penological concerns. Some of the interests that are commonly held to constitute "legitimate penological concerns" include the security of the institution and the protection of the public from violent or predatory inmates. There is no doubt that some inmates prey on "penpals" to acquire money, favors, and other tangible or intangible benefit. This is probably the logic used in Florida's ban on penpal website advertising, since it gives the predatory inmate a vessel from which to prey on members of the general public.

The U.S. Supreme Court has, in recent years, laid to rest much of the "hands off" posture, but in doing so, they did so gently. Mostly, the High Court has left this issue to the decision of the various Federal District Courts.

In summary, the constitutional rights of inmates is a HIGHLY COMPLICATED issue. The rights of inmates will vary from State to State, depending on the challenges filed and the decisions issued by the various Federal District Courts, or the Courts within each state.

At the present time, Florida is acting within its legal parameters, and will continute to do so until the Courts dictate otherwise. Rocking the boat, by writing letters to the Commissioner of Corrections will only label YOU as a "trouble maker", and cause your INMATE the sanctions and punishments already described by a person on this message board. Working with the ACLU in bringing about change as a GROUP, rather than an individual, would be more effective. In doing so, there is less liklihood that the particular inmate you write to could be singled out for punishment, since neither YOU, nor your INMATE could be personally identified.

Well the good news is I did receive 2 letters this morning from one of my FL penpals. The bad news is my stomach is in knots because I know a letter he should receive tomorrow specifically states that I am his penpal in it. Geez, Mike, you've got me worried...whoever would have thought you'd have to watch the word "penpal" for fear of a witch hunt?!

yes I have been able to confirm the time and reason my pen-pal is in the box and his lost of gain time is reflected on the DOC web page as to his release date has been moved back 60 days. Plus I due have the letter from the prison its self, so there can be little doubt. I have other pen-pals in the florida prison system some do and some don't know about the change. We no longer make any mention to being pen-pals were are now just friends. Which is ok with me. In the one case I am now his uncle on his mothers side she just happen to have the same madien name as my last name. What else can we do ??????

I heard from another website that the Aclu and the Naacp are going to light a fire up under FL's a#$ and that if FL does this they'll be in violation of federal law!!! Don't know if it's true or not but Mike, you should write the Aclu and send them the letter you got!!!

I mentioned it to my penpal in the last letter I sent to him, but I haven't received a reply to it yet. I'm expecting to receive a reply tomorrow or Tuesday *biting nails*. Since Florida prisons read the mail, I was careful to embed that tidbit way in the middle, hoping the CO would get bored, scan it, and just give it to him. I guess we'll see. I'll post when/if I get a reply.

Hey Everybody,

This is alarming; I have two pen pals in Florida. We've been writing since the summer Is there a way to avoid trouble. I guess no where in any letter should I mention that I am pen pal.

Do you think the inmates themselves are aware of these new restrictions? Has word gotten around so that the inmates themselves know not to refer to their correspondents as pen pals?

Thanks in advance for any information!

You are kidding????? No, of course you are not kidding. Well, thanks, you've just answered my question for me. I will not sign it as a penpal.

My pen pal in Florida has been placed in the Box for 60 days and lost 60 days gain time because of his ad in Write a prisoner they have also told him he must stop all contact with me or any other person via the pen pal ad. I also got a letter from his prison stating his ad was in violation ao Fla. DOC rules and that any futher comunication could subject my pen pal to additional disciplary action and it was signed by a Lt. Lightbrone. I have found a way to continue to write him but it sucks to have to communicate throught the back door.

I have a similar question to vamp. I planned on visiting a penpal when I go down near him to vacation, but with this anti-penpal directive I am hesitant to be truthful on the visitation form and checkmark that I met him as a penpal. OTOH I feel icky lying! :-)

CO -- Correctional Officer

DOC -- Department of Corrections

Yes LawDog I ask you as well could you please enlighten us to why if the Federal Curcuit for AZ said the state could not disallow pen pal ads or pen pal letters written to inmates because of such postings how is it Florida gets to do the same thing AZ just got stopped from doing.

OK this sounds bad but what does CO and DOC stand for? One of my pen pals use those initals all the time and I don't know what they mean. Sorry. And I hope that the current penpals will still be able to write if this takes affect cause I have 2 penpals in flordia

Lawdog or someone who understands the law, a federal judge said that Arizona state couldn't prohibit inmates from placing ads. The federal judge also said it was censorship to tell webmasters what they can and can't post. My question, if a federal judge ruled that states can't do this already, wouldn't it be illegal for Florida to do this? Wouldn't Florida be violating a federal law, or would it have to go to another federal court in Florida this time? Anyone know?

p.s. The Florida D.O.C. down right sucks for pulling this. This is one crappy idea that couldn't have a single positive impact on ANYONE involved. I hope the ACLU goes to bat!!!

They're trying to be mean! You guys know, my pen pal is in Lovelady, Texas. Normally they get a 1hr recreation 3 timer per week last time. But now, the prison is giving them 1hr recreation, once a week, just because they're short of CO. They can't do anything during recreation because the yard has been under construction for a couple of years now. They're locked up 23 hrs a day. Do you guys think that this is the prisoners' problem? For me, I don't think so. 23 hrs a day in a cell? There will be a lot of mental illness among the prisoners soon I think. Mean! Just so mean! Now they wanna stop prisoners from advertising in the web? I don't think the prioner ask for money from them to place an ad.

You want to know whats really messed is that DOC wanting to take everything that they can from the inmates yet on some of the units that still allow hobby crafts and are in enclosed case or sold through an inmate store just on the road to the prison or on prison property is sold on consignment or if some of the guards in the property like what they see they will keep it for themselves and say it's either lost or something, but here doc wants to remove everything from the inmates. through the years I've received some beautiful gifts that was handcrafted by inmates like jewerly boxes,and such and a friend of mine received a picture frame an baby booties and it was made from cigarette packs. Some real nice things and I still have some of the horse hair that was made into those things that the men ware on their cowboy hats. Okay yes I know that I got off of the subject and I apologise but do you all know what I mean?

The addresses and more details on the home page of this web site.

Well said lonewolf. Can we email our outrage on this subject somewhere or do I have to write them by regular mail? Oh and thank you for the details susansback! This is unbelievable!!!

Yes, this happened in AZ too. It was taken to court and declared unconstitutional. The Canadian Coalition Against the Death Penalty took them to court and won. They are going to get involved with FL too. They are looking for legal representation and waiting for a response from the ACLU.

Thanks for letting me know. It sounds as though existing penpals will be OK, but it will be tough for new ones.

I think this law was tried in Arizona (?) but the courts deemed it to be illegal.

In any event I think it stinks.

This is what this about:

Florida Administrative Weekly Volume 29, Number 6, February 7, 2003

Specific Authority 350.127(2), 364.337(2), 364.604(5) FS. Law Implemented

364.337(2), 364.602, 364.604 FS. History–New 7-20-98, Amended 12-28-98,

7-5-00, ________.

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

RULE TITLE: RULE NO.:

Routine Mail 33-210.101

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose and effect of the

proposed rule is to ensure the protection of the public and the

maintenance of order in the institution by prohibiting inmates

from placing advertisements soliciting funds, goods or

services; by prohibiting inmates from entering contests or

sweepstakes; and by clarifying the prohibition against

conducting a business while incarcerated.

SUBJECT AREA TO BE ADDRESSED: Routine mail.

SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 944.09 FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 20.315, 944.09 FS.

IF REQUESTED IN WRITING AND NOT DEEMED

UNNECESSARY BY THE AGENCY HEAD, A RULE

DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP WILL BE NOTICED IN

THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE

WEEKLY.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE

PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT AND A COPY OF

THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT IS: Perri King Dale, 2601 Blair

Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2500

THE PRELIMINARY TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE

DEVELOPMENT IS:

33-210.101 Routine Mail.

(1) through (2) No change.

(3) No other items may be received through incoming

routine mail. If an impermissible item is found (other than

items of an illegal nature, the entire correspondence will be

returned to the sender pursuant to subsection (13)(11) of this

rule. For example, the following items are not permissible for

inclusion in or attachment to routine mail:

(a) through (e) No change.

(4) through (7) No change.

(8) Inmates shall not use correspondence privileges to

solicit or otherwise commercially advertise for money, goods

or services. For the purposes of this rule this includes

advertising for pen-pals; inmates are not prohibited from

corresponding with pen pals, but shall not place ads soliciting

pen pals. Inmates are prohibited from receiving

correspondence or materials from persons or groups marketing

advertising services, or from subscribing to advertising

services. Inmates who post ads or have ads posted with the

assistance of another person shall be subject to disciplinary

action.

(8) through (9) renumbered (9) through (10) No change.

(11)(10) No inmate shall engage in may establish or

conduct a business or profession through the mail during his

period of incarceration. For the purpose of this rule, a business

is defined as any revenue generating or profit making activity

or any activity having the potential to generate revenue or

profit. An inmate who is engaged in a business or profession

prior to commitment to the department shall assign authority

for the operation of such business or profession to a person in

the community within 90 days of commitment. Inmate

incoming or outgoing mail relating to the direction of an

inmate’s business or profession shall be rejected. This does not,

however, prohibit mail necessary to enable an inmate to protect

property and funds that were legitimately the inmate’s at the

time of commitment.

(12) Inmates shall be prohibited from entering contests or

sweepstakes through the mail while incarcerated.

(11) through (16) renumbered (13) through (18) No

change.

Specific Authority 944.09 FS. Law Implemented 20.315, 944.09 FS. History–

New 10-8-76, Amended 10-11-77, 4-19-79, 11-19-81, 3-12-84, 10-15-84,

Formerly 33-3.04, Amended 7-8-86, 9-4-88, 3-9-89, 9-1-93, 9-30-96, 5-25-97,

6-1-97, 10-7-97, 5-10-98, Formerly 33-3.004, Amended 12-20-99, Formerly

CJ

Jeb Bush is introducing legislation is the state of Florida that would prevent inmates from posting for penpals on sites like Writeaprisoner etc. They would be subjected to punishment if caught doing so.

libbiegrrl

Could someone tell me what this is all about ? I have a penpal in a Florida prison, but I'm not sure what you're talking about here ?

Thankyou !

LoneWolf, You do have a way with words as you have addressed this issue, you are turley a spiritual person in the way you pour out in what you believe. You know you touched on this in every aspect, I myself will say that Florida will not get away with taking away everything we here in AZ have already fought this very issue and won, although inmates can not have web-sites in which we already know they the state can not take away the pen-pals.
One of the things that is said on a daily basis in the prison syestem amoung the inmates that I have come to know is that the state may have physcial custody, but they can not take away our minds and how we think no matter how hard they try nor will they break us of our spirits. I believe that the guards just don't want to be processing the in coming mail or actually be found working and getting paid all those big bucks to see that the prison runs smoothly.

Jeb Bush has a retrograde personality disorder. It is a posh way of saying he is backward thinking. Inmates won't leave their term of confinement ready to successfully reintergrate with human society in positive ways without help. Being a Pen Pal gives is an undeserved gift given freely by enlightened member of society which makes it a true free will gift in every sense of the word.

A Pen Pal is not a paid psychologist doing a job. A Pen Pal is not a cell mate speaking with you because, circumstance requires you to endure each other's company. A Pen Pal enters your life by letter each time one is sent by mutual request because he or she honestly wants to be there to share a bit of themselves with you.

Having a pen pal gives the inmate a chance to have input and thus in some ways the smallest level of control over the course a conversation with another human being takes. All prisons are about the task of taking EVERY element of control od their life away from the inmate. Conversations in prison occur within the ugly context of the inmates environment thus the state really always has control.

Even the prison pen pal relationship is not totally immune to the constraints of the correctional institution. However the inmate and pen pal have a great deal of intellectual autonomy in shaping the exact nature, intensity and form of their pen pal relationship.

The final frontier of the imprisoned soul is that of heart and imagination. Pen Pal's sustain an inmates sense of heart and imagination. Pen Pal's enrich an inmates imagination by sharing joyful unpredictable events of their life with one whose life is a seemingly never ending string of utterly predictable monotonous pain.

In order to punish the inmate more effectively the state must perfect itself in its job of taking all the joy, imagination and sense of wonder from an inmate. Jeb Bush knows the last place of refuge in an inmates mind where his sense of self hides out is in his heart and imagination. If you want to take the last small hope from a man, then destory his imagination for the written word sets one free if only in their own mind. Next Jeb Bush hopes to mortally wound an inmates heart by removing from them those few individuals in society evolved enough to show caring about their situation as pen pals.

Forgiveness is seen only by example in the human heart. Those who merely speak of forgiveness utter words only. Those who give freely as pen pals act in a way that demonstrates forgiveness. Pen Pals are a warm humanizing light in the darkest heart and a boost to the ill used imagination even a penal institution can not easily corrupt.

You wanted to know WHAT MOTIVATES! Jeb Bush and those like him who want to take Pen Pal's away from inmates? Well simply stated they want to steal the last shred of joy, dignity, self worth, love and connectedness with society an inmate has with anything humane and good within himself. Some people think only by removing every shred of dignity from a person in prison punishment will they appriciate what it is to be a part of society if and when they are restored at time of release from prison. The old let's make prison so bad they never want to return theory.

Prisoner's need Pen Pal's more than almost anything else. Pen Pal's are the food of life to a sick or imprisoned mind. As one who is anti-social himself, I know having people in your life who are honest and caring is the only thing that has a hope of making you atleast social enough to live in society without hurting or taking from others.