How To Stay In Touch With ANYONE in the System

Here are some ideas of what the average, everyday citizen can do as a means to assist and encourage their fellow person behind prison bars. Stay in touch with those you know or have discovered who are incarcerated. Mail is the lifeblood of existence in prison. Some inmates go for months without ever receiving a single card or letter.

Become attuned to human rights issues in prisons. Overcrowding, no parole, and conviction of far too many non-violent offenders has led to warehousing of inmates, both state and federal institutions. And with increased funding to build more and more prisons, less money is used for rehabilitation programs.

Remember that many of the men and women who are incarcerated leave their families on the street. Those families often need assistance with food, rent, medical, etc. Often the children of prisoners are forgotten on their birthdays and at Christmas.

Most importantly, continue your effort to maintain contact with those who have been separated from society. Without this contact, it is inevitable that lives will be further isolated to the point of no return. Although about 80% of those in prison will be released at some point in time. The average citizen’s personal involvement with prisoners whose lives have become a matter of public record is ital to restoring the whole, intact society we seek.

Tales From The Cells

I’m in federal prison and here is what I have to say…