I have always written to let the prisoner know that he or she is not forgotten, that somebody on the outside cares about what is happening to them. Most of Prisoners Abroad’s clients rarely get visitors, and you only have to have been in hospital to know what it feels like when the ward is full of visitors but you don’t have anyone. It’s a terrible feeling.
It’s the same with mail. Lots of prisons read out a list of names of people who have mail each morning. Imagine what it feels like if your name never gets read out. If you are writing to a prisoner, you don’t just have to send letters. Send postcards or greetings cards as well; any excuse to give the prisoner the pleasure of receiving something through the post. All it needs is “I saw this and thought of you” to give a prisoner a lift when he hears his name called out. Look out for funny or relevant newspaper or magazine articles. Whilst some prisons don’t allow prisoners to receive anything other than letters, the mail-room usually accepts flat pieces of paper stapled to your letter.
However, the original idea of the pen-pal scheme was to inform those who have been away from the UK for a long time, what it is like now. Work into your letters descriptions of everyday life in modern Britain.
Always try to remember how difficult it can be for a prisoner to write a letter to you. Even if, prior to imprisonment, they were well educated, they might well be going through a traumatic time when they can hardly think straight, let alone write a sensible letter.
Even if that is not a problem, then the conditions in which they find themselves might make writing difficult. Most likely your reply will be written while the prisoner is sitting on his bunk in a noisy shared cell, balancing the writing paper on a bit of stiff cardboard.
Practical advice
Don’t use air-mail envelopes, the ones where you write on the inside of the envelope before folding it.
When letters are opened in the prison mail room they are often cut open along the top, sometimes by a slitting machine (especially in the USA). This can remove a section of the envelope, so if you’ve written on the inside your words will be lost.
Although it can be slightly more expensive, it’s definitely worth writing on separate paper, making sure you fold it to ensure that it’s not right up against the edge of the envelope where it could be damaged by a slitting machine.
If you can, I find it’s best to type letters on a computer. There are several reasons for this.
Firstly, it will help the prisoner read the letter. Some prisoners have poor eyesight, or they may have difficulty reading your handwriting. Also, people with dyslexia often find it easier to read typewritten words.
Secondly, incoming mail is periodically vetted in prisons. If they cannot easily read your handwriting, they may delay the letter. Using a computer makes it easy to read.
I would also advise that you number your letters. This will help the prisoner know if a letter has gone astray – otherwise he might be confused about something you have written, especially if you are having an ongoing conversation in your letters. Numbering letters is much easier if you write them on a computer.
If you have a letter set up on your computer you can add little bits to it in the times between writing. A funny thing that happened to you, something to make the prisoner smile, items of interest, little things you would forget if you just sat down to write a long letter in one sitting.
When it comes to actually writing the letter, you should consider writing across just half the page.
This allows the prisoner to write on the other half and send it back as a reply. Just remember that you will need to I would also advise that you number your letters. This will help the prisoner know if a letter has gone astray – otherwise he might be confused about something you have written, especially if you are having an ongoing conversation in your letters. Numbering letters is much easier if you write them on a computer.
If you have a letter set up on your computer you can add little bits to it in the times between writing. A funny thing that happened to you, something to make the prisoner smile, items of interest, little things you would forget if you just sat down to write a long letter in one sitting.
When it comes to actually writing the letter, you should consider writing across just half the page. This allows the prisoner to write on the other half and send it back as a reply. Just remember that you will need to You should also consider the size of the font you are using. Is it big enough for the prisoner to read? If the prisoner has a problem with his eyes he might not want to tell you about it. Spectacles are difficult to obtain in many countries, so it is best to always use a font size of at least 12, and you may want to use 14 if the prisoner is advanced in years or has problems with his eyes.
What to write about
The most important piece of advice I can offer is always, from the very first letter, try to write as if the prisoner was already a friend, and use the same words and language as you would during speech.
- Write about subjects that interest the prisoner. If the prisoner is interested in a subject about which you know nothing, then try to learn. Being a penpal is a two-way process; both sides can learn from each other.
- Be prepared to seek information on the prisoner’s behalf, and to tell him the truth. Prisoners may ask about prison transfers, life in the UK, or even subjects like their old school.
- Ask the prisoner to describe his daily routine and his cellmate (if he has one).
- Be honest with the prisoner and, if they arise, don’t be afraid to tackle difficult issues.
- But don’t forget to write about yourself! By sharing yourself with the prisoner, as you would with a friend, you can only enhance the relationship, and you will receive more interesting letters in return.
TOP TIPSFrom an article by Betty Costello who has been a pen-pal with Prisoners Abroad since the early nineties. Here she gives some practical advice on writing to prisoners.
- Write friendly and open letters, from the very first
- Write in short paragraphs
- Number your letters
- Make sure you address the envelope correctly!
- Write the prisoners number where available to help distribution of the letters
This shows me that I need to be more careful with my letters as many times to squeeze as much as possible I used to reduced the font size...
In certain prisons the prisoners are only allowed a number of pages in or out, the letters must not exceed a number allocated.
