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WriteAPrisoner.com

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WriteAPrisoner.com
Formation2000
HeadquartersEdgewater, Volusia County, Florida
Membership
6,000 inmate members, 41,000 non-inmate members, 18,000 forum members
Official language
Primarily English
Website
http://www.writeaprisoner.com

WriteAPrisoner.com is an online Florida, (USA), based business whose stated goal is to reduce recidivism through a variety of methods that include promoting 1) positive correspondence with pen pals on the outside, 2) educational opportunities, 3) job placement avenues, 4) comprehensive resource guides on a variety of related issues, and 5) scholarships for children impacted by crime. The site began primarily as a place to post personal profiles and requests for legal assistance for inmates and has evolved to address a more overall view of the life of an inmate.[1] The site also provides other prison-related services.

The prison pen pal website was launched in 2000 and typically hosts more than 6,000 inmate profiles. With the growing trend in incarceration (the U.S. prison population quadrupled between 1980 and 2000), the impact is felt by families and society. The site is also involved with human rights activities.

The site's stated mission is to reduce recidivism through letter writing in light of the expanding prison population in the United States.[2] In recent years the site expanded its resources to more comprehensively address growing concerns in the prison commuinty including families and friends impacted by a loved one's incarceration. Specifically, the site:

  • hosts an interactive forum where friends and families of inmates connect to provide support and guidance;
  • offers a free résumé-posting service for inmates being released within the year;
  • coordinates a Books Behind Bars program to promote literacy and educational opportunities;
  • provides a comprehensive resource list that focuses on specific prison-related concerns;
  • provides scholarships for children impacted by crime; and
  • provides a self-series for inmates covering topics such as education, employment, parenting from prison, and more.

Background

Most of the inmates profiled on the site are incarcerated in the United States. However, the site also lists international inmates. It has been called the MySpace and Facebook for inmates [3] [4] [5] by the media. The site features social programs, such as a Books Behind Bars program, resources for inmates and their families, and resources for crime victims.[6] Self-help guides are available on topics such as going to prison, furthering education while incarcerated and repairing credit while in prison.[7] The interactive feature includes polling and chats, with most emphasis on the site’s Internet forum where friends and family of inmates share stories and advice. The forum was updated in 2006 to include photos and personal information about forum members. Many of the forum participants are pen pals to inmates on the site. Topics include sharing advice about corresponding with inmates and visiting inmates. The forum also includes non-prison issues. The site charges inmates $40 per year to post their profile and photo, which are viewed freely by the public. Inmates cannot receive email because they do not have access to the Internet. However, the web site receives e-mail messages on the inmates' behalf, prints the messages, and mails them to the inmates twice monthly.

Controversy

The site received national media attention in July 2003 when convicted child killer Susan Smith posted a profile seeking pen pals.[8][9] The South Carolina Department of Corrections issued a press release related to the incident.[10] Writeaprisoner.com removed the profile at Smith's request.[11] The site received some criticism when its spokesperson, Jason Roberts, used the term "freak show" to describe the media coverage of the Susan Smith story.[12] The site later issued a press release apologizing and stating that the term had been taken out of context. The site has been featured on many programs including 20/20[13] and E! True Hollywood Story.[14] The site claims to avoid 'shock media' and notorious inmates and has pulled and denied inmate profiles to avoid sensationalism. Kenneth Foster, Jr., whose stay of execution was granted by Texas Governor Rick Perry just hours before the scheduled execution,[15] maintains a profile on the site.[16] In March 2006, the site made national news when it posted a profile for Adrian Peeler who was convicted in the killing of an eight year old boy and his mother.[17] The site immediately removed Peeler’s profile when the story was featured in the Connecticut Post. The site had also featured a profile for Peeler's brother, Russell Peeler, who was involved in the murder. His profile was also removed by the site.[18] Writeaprisoner.com has also hosted a profile for Francisco Martin Duran and currently hosts one for Kenny Kimes[19] and Esteban Carpio.[20]

Other controversies involved claims of inmates misleading the public. When the state of Missouri investigated claims that female inmates were deceiving male pen pals,[21] the proactive response of the site resulted in a positive response by the public.[22] The site has received negative comments by public officials in some regions and has been criticized by some members of the public as well.[23] In Iowa, a spokesman for the Department of Corrections indicated that the state had no way to verify that the information that inmates provided to the website was accurate. He further stated, "We can't endorse this. It's not a good practice."[24] In Arizona a House Bill was passed to bar inmates from posting profiles on WriteAPrisoner.com and similar websites. The law was later ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge after the ACLU challenged it in court.[25] Similar rules by other Departments of Corrections have also been ruled unconstitutional. Finally, a study conducted by the University of Louisville reported that not all inmates on the site accurately report their crimes or release dates.[26] WriteAPrisoner.com provides a link from each inmate's profile to his or her respective Department of Corrections website so that the public can verify the information. WriteAPrisoner.com's stated policy is to remove the profile of any inmate found misusing the site.[27] The site further states that it seeks to collaborate with the Departments of Corrections in order to ensure the integrity of inmates' statements with an ultimate goal of reducing recidivism.

Agenda

WriteAPrisoner.com has made an impact in the prison community and the courts. In 2009 the site was named as a plaintiff in Perry v. Hicks[28], a lawsuit against the state of Florida for violating inmates' First Amendment rights.[29] [30]The site was named along with Freedom Through Christ Prison Ministry in the suit filed by the Florida Justice Institute.[31]

The site works with states' Departments of Corrections to ensure that the First Amendment rights of inmates are protected. The site has previously collaborated with the ACLU and the Florida Justice Institute regarding rights of inmates.[32] and has been represented by the Florida Justice Institute[33] Because of these efforts, many newspaper and journal articles have addressed the site, and the owner, Adam Lovell, has been interviewed by many media organizations. GoDaddy owner Bob Parsons chose to interview Lovell[34] for GoDaddy Radio's first anniversary because of the widespread influence WriteAPrisoner.com has had in the prison subculture. Lovell established a blog[35] on the site to personally address specific topics. The site also claims to maintain a zero tolerance approach towards scams committed by inmates as well as scams committed against inmates.[36]

Some precedent has been set regarding the rights of inmates to receive mail,[37][38] and the site lists empirical evidence which supports that positive relations built through correspondence can help reduce recidivism.[39]

Impact

A Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting was awarded to Joseph Hallinan, whose book, Going Up the River: Travels in a Prison Nation, reported that the prison experience has become so commonplace in America that one in eleven men can expect to be incarcerated at some point in his lifetime. Prison pen pal sites are a growing phenomenon as a result. Although the site is the largest of its kind,[40] it is not alone in its endeavor to help inmates find pen pals, legal aid and employment. There are many other commercial and non-commercial sites. Some religious sites, such as Prison Fellowship International, offer pen pal programs for inmates. The emerging use of technology regarding inmate pen pals appears to be gaining acceptance. The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, for instance, upheld inmates’ rights to receive e-mail printouts from online pen pals.[41]

The site has gained attention in books and publications. It is linked to a fictional character in The Memory Artists, a novel by award-winning author Jeffrey Moore. The character of Dr. Emile Vorta is the novel’s linchpin, and in the preface he cites his affiliation with WriteAPrisoner.com.[42] Another book, The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue: A Novel, 2004, by Barbara Samuel, quotes WriteAPrisoner.com.[43] Another, One Good Work at a Time: Simple Things You Can Do to Make a Difference, 2006, by Frances Sheridan Goulart, encourages readers to donate to the site's Books Behind Bars program.[44] Its Books Behind Bars program[45] has been lauded in O, The Oprah Winfrey Magazine.[46] Not This Sunday, a children's novel by Cindy Lovell, is about a fifth grade boy dealing with his father's recent incarceration and mentions the site as a resource for families.[47] A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book go to support the site's scholarship fund.[48] The site even finds itself the subject of parody at times by some media outlets.[49] Most recently the site was mentioned in the Mensa Research Journal as an example of giftedness in the workplace.[50]

Notes

  1. ^ Anika Myers. "Dear Inmate: Do You Need a Friend?". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2010-03-31.
  2. ^ Dahlia Lithwick. "Our Real Prison Problem". Newsweek. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  3. ^ New Haven Advocate. "Met While Incarcerated". Retrieved 2010-24-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  4. ^ Tecnologia. "Presos se relacionam por Facebook carcerario nos EUS". Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  5. ^ News of the World. "A Facebook Prison, WriteAPrisoner.com". Retrieved 2010-10-12.
  6. ^ WriteAPrisoner.com. "Books Behind Bars". Retrieved 2010-03-11.
  7. ^ WriteAPrisoner.com. "Going to Prison". Retrieved 2010-08-06.
  8. ^ Associated Press (2003-07-11). "Online personal ad features child killer Susan Smith". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  9. ^ Manuel Ruig-Franzia. "Serving Life, a Pen Pal Crashes the Server". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  10. ^ South Carolina Dept. of Corrections. "Statement Regarding Inmate Susan Smith SCDC #221487". Archived from the original on 2007-02-14. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  11. ^ WriteAPrisoner.com. "WriteAPrisoner.com Press Release - Susan Smith". Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  12. ^ Associated Press (2003-07-11). "Site Asks Kid Killer to Remove Ad". CBS News. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  13. ^ 20/20. "Why Are Women Marrying Murderers?". Retrieved 2008-02-03. {{cite web}}: |author= has numeric name (help)
  14. ^ Documentary. "THS Investigates: Love Behind Bars". Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  15. ^ Emily Ramshaw. "Perry commutes Texas death row inmate Foster's sentence". Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  16. ^ Kenneth Foster, Jr. "Kenneth Foster, Jr. Personal Profile". Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  17. ^ Hartford-AP. "Web site pulls ad placed by Conn. inmate". Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  18. ^ Hartford AP. "Web site pulls ad placed by Conn. inmate". Retrieved 2008-02-04. [dead link]
  19. ^ Kenny Kimes. "Kenny Kimes Personal Profile". Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  20. ^ Esteban Carpio. "Esteban T Carpio Personal Profile". Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  21. ^ Missouri Dept. of Corrections. "Department to Ban Inmates From Soliciting Pen Pals on Websites" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  22. ^ Kansas City News. "Kansas City". Archived from the original on 2006-11-13. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
  23. ^ Mary Sturgill. "Prison Love Part 1". Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  24. ^ Cedar Rapids, Iowa AP. "Officials leery of inmate personal ads seeking pen pals". Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  25. ^ Nicholas M. Horrock. "Arizona Prison Ban Struck Down". Archived from the original on August 8, 2007. Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  26. ^ Richard Tewksbury. "Personal Ads From Prisoners: Do Inmates Tell the Truth about Themselves?". Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  27. ^ WriteAPrisoner.com. "Precautionary Measure Taken by WriteAPrisoner.com". Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  28. ^ "Perry v. Hicks, 2009-cv-00403 (M.D. Fla.)".
  29. ^ Jaweed Kaleem. "Lawsuit filed over Florida prisons' pen pal ban" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-05-06.
  30. ^ Associated Press. "Pen Pal Ban for Prisoners is Opposed". Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  31. ^ Mike Clary. "Woman's lawsuit defends Florida inmate pen pals". Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  32. ^ G. Scheet. "Web sites promoting liaisons with prisoners abound". Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  33. ^ Mark Thompson. "Pen pal ads nixed in Florida". Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  34. ^ Bob Parsons. "Interview with WriteAPrisoner.com founder Adam Lovell". Retrieved 2008-02-05.
  35. ^ Adam Lovell. "Webmaster's Blog". Retrieved 2008-02-05.
  36. ^ WriteAPrisoner.com. "Precautionary Measures Taken by WriteAPrisoner.com". Retrieved 2008-02-05.
  37. ^ U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Court. "Frank S. Clement vs. California Dept. of Corrections" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-08-08.
  38. ^ Declan McCullagh. "Police blotter: Prison inmate wants personal ad replies". Retrieved 2006-11-10.
  39. ^ Writeaprisoner.com. "Why Write A Prisoner?". Retrieved 2010-03-11.
  40. ^ Quantcast. "Writeaprisoner Network". Retrieved 2010-03-11.
  41. ^ Declan McCullagh. "Police blotter: Prison inmate wants personal ad replies". Retrieved 2008-02-05.
  42. ^ Moore (2006), pp. preface.
  43. ^ Samuel (2004), pp. 45.
  44. ^ Goulart (2006), pp. 75-76.
  45. ^ WriteAPrisoner.com. "Books Behind Bars". Retrieved 2008-02-05.
  46. ^ Aimee lee Ball. "Book Keeping". Retrieved 2008-02-06.
  47. ^ Lovell (2007), pp. 67, 147.
  48. ^ WriteAPrisoner.com. "Recommended Reading". Retrieved 2008-02-06.
  49. ^ Lizzy Ratner, Ken Moy, & George Gurley. "Meet Wesley Clark Jr". Retrieved 2008-02-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  50. ^ Lovell (2008), "Finding Your Niche or Creating Your Niche? You Decide" Mensa Research Journal, Vol. 39, No. 2.

References

  • Goulart, Frances Sheridan (2006). One Good Work at a Time: Simple Things You Can Do to Make a Difference. Notre Dame, Indiana: Sorin Books. ISBN 978-1893732902.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Lovell, Cindy (2007). Not This Sunday. Hightstown, New Jersey: NL Associates, Inc. ISBN 978-1-878347-72-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Moore, Jeffrey (2006). The Memory Artists. New York, New York: St. Martin’s Griffin. ISBN 978-0312349257.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Samuel, Barbara (2004). The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue: A Novel. New York, New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0345477750.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
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