Prison pen pals - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**raysen** · 07-08-2006, 01:17 PM

I started a thread months ago about penpals - *Which by the way i still spk regulaly to 1 of them and still keep in good ocntact with another- so going well* - Anyways I have recnetly been thinking alot about other people and the world - etc

Has anyone ever had any penpal with prisoners?
Anyone recomend/avoid it?
I know there are a few sites out there but was just wondering what peoples views were on this before I delved in seriously

I am thinking of this as a more of i dont know maybe sense of well being, Knowing that there will be one person out there who i may connect with in some way who looks forward to my letters and responds enthusiastically and give advice and help to each other .
If that makes sense?

So anyone or anyone know of anyone who has ever had a prison pen pal?

Much appreciated for any thoughts on this

**The Monsignor** · 07-08-2006, 06:43 PM

As a guy with the "rescuer" gene, I'll tell you that it seldom turns out well. It's damned difficult to fix someone, and if they're on a bad path, the only way for them to really change is if they hit rock bottom and then pull themselves out of it. The support can go both ways, either helping them get their own heads out of their asses, or by enabling them to continue their self-destructive behavior without the emotional consequences of being totally cut off from humanity...

By all means, go for it, but keep in mind that it's likely to be doomed to failure from the start, don't overextend yourself!

Echeverry · 07-08-2006, 09:10 PM

This might be the best idea ever! I should get penpals in every prison so when I get arrested I don't become someones bitch! hehehe! naw I have never had a PP in prison, Most of my Pen Pals are from outter Essex and Oz some in Canada but I keep in touch. I have to get my ass back in french Canada before I turn 21! I love the girls there! :greenguy:

**worldwidemike** · 07-09-2006, 02:06 AM

I think it's a bad idea. You don't know what they're in there for, don't know how much (if at all) they've been rehabilitated, and whether they'll seek you out when they are released (or worse, escape).

If you're looking for a good deed to do, I'd say you have many, many better options that don't involve a definite personal risk...

worldwidemike

**expatben** · 07-09-2006, 02:17 AM

I sort of have a prison pen pal. My Mom is part of a group that basically provide pen pals for death row inmates. I write to my Mothers penpal in Georgia and he writes back. We've been writing on and off for about 7 years now.
Its up to you. Everyone here has made good points though you need to take a lot into consideration.

**beergal** · 07-09-2006, 09:17 AM

hmm its a hard decision to make but only one that you can decide if you want a prison penpal or not...

however raysen if you are looking for someone to enthusiastically reply to your letters pm me your address and i will hapily be your penpal with the added knowledge im not a serial.....insert type of criminal here....

SleepIsTheCousinOfDeath · 07-09-2006, 03:00 PM

Well seeing as the prison system in the US is one of THE most fucked up things that exist in current society, I think it'd be a great thing to do. One. It will provide possible optimism for our incarcerated brethren. Two. You will be informed of some of the fucked up shit about prison through the experience so learning will be full on for you. Third. Itll be funny as shit what htey have to say a lot of the time...until you realize that theyre in a possibly private owned prison that heavily targets the underclass forced into crime...::sigh:: Over 2 million in the pen boys...Fucked up shit

Echeverry · 07-09-2006, 03:49 PM

Eh to make something clear, my ideas, ARE NOT GOOD! They just are random thoughts that might make sense every once other million posts. Don't get PenPals in prison if you are just playing it safe when you get cought!

**worldwidemike** · 07-10-2006, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SleepIsTheCousinOfDeath@Jul 9 2006, 10:00 PM
Well seeing as the prison system in the US is one of THE most fucked up things that exist in current society...until you realize that theyre in a possibly private owned prison that heavily targets the underclass forced into crime
[snapback]130225[/snapback]

Gee sounds like the beginning of a political argument thread...

I just hate when they force those poor, underclass boys to hold up convenience stores or rape women....damn society....

worldwidemike

**Majestic58** · 07-10-2006, 05:26 AM

I had a number of prison pen pals off and on for years. I was part of a group that wrote to prisoners as a method of rehabilitation. It's ok, as long as you are strong willed and able to keep a structured relationship. A lot of the men (probably especially because I am a woman...) tended to build me into something I wasn't in their heads. And some became pretty insistant on taking the relationship beyond a friendship level. That is where I had to cease contact. So it's hard, but I believe it did and does serve a valuble purpose....

**MeTurk** · 07-10-2006, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by beergal@Jul 9 2006, 08:17 AM
i will hapily be your penpal with the added knowledge im not a serial.....insert type of criminal here....

[snapback]130190[/snapback]

Not a serial crimial... Just part time?

It would be safe enough for Europeans wouldn't it seeing as you wouldn't be allowed entry if you had a criminal conviction or does that only last for five years?

**lauren313** · 07-10-2006, 09:50 AM

I wouldn't do it, cos it'd be just my luck to end up writing to a murderer who was due for release soon, and then he'd come and kill me my house.

Or something.

**beergal** · 07-10-2006, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Not a serial crimial... Just part time?

lol i reckon i could handle a part time criminal

DJ_VeeeNoM · 07-11-2006, 02:00 PM

((( No More Tears by Modjo ))) :greenguy:

haha yeah dude, explain to us thatPart time gig you have on your hands. you are a backyard spy at night or something like that?

**SuDz** · 07-11-2006, 02:14 PM

I see how it is, when they finally catch up to me and toss me in the pen, nobody here will talk to me huh?

Thanks guys.... hehe

SuDZ

SleepIsTheCousinOfDeath · 07-11-2006, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by worldwidemike@Jul 10 2006, 05:11 AM
Gee sounds like the beginning of a political argument thread...
I just hate when they force those poor, underclass boys to hold up convenience stores or rape women....damn society....

worldwidemike

[snapback]130305[/snapback]

Laugh...look dude its not my fault the prison industrail complex is a very real thing...do some research and see who owns prisons...see how much money they profit off those people never escaping the cycle of crime...thats why they stopped offering degree achievement programs in fed. prisons...when ur kept stupid you dont escape the cylce of cages...GE, At&t, Food Companies, Sprint, and on and on and on own prisons, large amounts of prison stock and the services within prisons...and OBVIOUSLY im not fucking talking about rape cases and serial murderers and fucking ceo crime... most prisoners are in for petty non violent crime largely involving drugs...all im saying is that being a prison pen pal would be a good thing cuz those guys/girls have largely had less fucking priviledge than u and me...thanks

**The Monsignor** · 07-12-2006, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SleepIsTheCousinOfDeath@Jul 11 2006, 07:26 PM
Laugh...look dude its not my fault the prison industrail complex is a very real thing...do some research and see who owns prisons...see how much money they profit off those people never escaping the cycle of crime...thats why they stopped offering degree achievement programs in fed. prisons...when ur kept stupid you dont escape the cylce of cages...GE, At&t, Food Companies, Sprint, and on and on and on own prisons, large amounts of prison stock and the services within prisons...and OBVIOUSLY im not fucking talking about rape cases and serial murderers and fucking ceo crime... most prisoners are in for petty non violent crime largely involving drugs...all im saying is that being a prison pen pal would be a good thing cuz those guys/girls have largely had less fucking priviledge than u and me...thanks

[snapback]130582[/snapback]

Hmm... lemme compare my experience in Iraq to prison life

Trapped in a compound with armed guards, unable to leave - check

Given no choice as to how my daily routine will go - check

Daily risk to life and limb - whoops, not in prison

12-18 hour work days - prisoner abuse

Civil rights suspended - ACLU would be all over the prison staff

Paid health care (cept, my dental is coming out of pocket) - check

Education opportunities funded by taxpayers - check

3 square MRE's a day - Uhm, prisoners get hot meals

Living in a tent/warehouse/burning out latrines - not in prison, they get air conditioning

Being unable to visit your family for a year - conjugal visits

Large companies making massive profits off of support contracts - sounds the same to me

Random drug testing - I don't think so

No alcohol - check

Yeah, it sounds pretty nice to me... Maybe I need to commit some non-violent drug offense and get my butt thrown in jail. I could use a break from disarming bombs...

I've got no sympathy, bud... Though I have real issues with my taxes going to support a huge prison population (40% are for non-violent drug offenses, btw) They still made their choices. They knew it was a crime when they got involved, and therefore the consequences are all theirs - not my fault, nor society's, nor their mother or the public school system or 'the man' or any of that other crap...

(We need to end this, though, cause it really doesn't belong here)

I'd still probably write prisoners, but I wouldn't get my hopes up for it to help much. People need a significant emotional event in order to snap them out of a self-destructive pattern of behavior. I think that prisons are too soft (for the minimum security types) to provide that sort of incentive to change.

Keep your detachment...

**voyd** · 07-12-2006, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SleepIsTheCousinOfDeath@Jul 9 2006, 04:00 PM
underclass forced into crime...
[snapback]130225[/snapback]

Lol, "forced" into crime?

I second Monsignor's posts here.

1) Nobody is forced into crime. I've seen waaayy poorer people in China than any ghetto here who worked their asses off all day long without resorting to crime.
2) Majority of crime is to feed drug, vice or lifestyle habits. These people continually seek the easy way out of life, by any means necessary - with no concern for the welfare of others. Sorry, not too many noble Robin Hood's here. So, cry me a river and drown in it.

People have to fix themselves.
3) Only prisoners I would feel sorry for are the unjustly accused.

SleepIsTheCousinOfDeath · 07-12-2006, 02:08 PM

Laf.

Whatever you say monsignor. They weren't forced into crime and you weren't drafted. I don't really give a shit about arguing though. If you wish to vote to keep the 2 million plus count going by subscribing to apathy and the "pull yourself up by the bootstraps americana myth", more power to you I suppose. The REAL problem I have with our prison system is all the fucking rich stock holders and CEOs that profit off other people's lack of ability to be born into a middle class family who possibly valued education.

So whatever. Maybe I'll think differently and go get a "I Did Time at American Express' Oklahoma or Tennessee Prison"

DJ_VeeeNoM · 07-12-2006, 06:01 PM

((( Busy Chil by The Crystal Method ))) :greenguy:

People chiil don't get this stuff over your head. Here is a story of when I was a little boy: O.K so I thought of this when I was around 5th grade or so. I would commit a crime ( Minor crap) but do dressed up as a woman with no I.D nothing, therefore just be sent to a women's prison and then Bam! Yeah I know I've had wierd Ideas all my life. See I'm just trying to smooth this a bit cause it seems like it's getting to you guys. So chill, besides I'll tell you one thing you want to make a good diff? get the people from jail into the war and finito! simple solution, you know how many good braindead kids got carried into that bullshit excuse for human clean up. dude it's not worth it, people in jail in this country have it much better than the ones fighting for it, so unfair.