I’m not overly lonely, I have friends, work, and I go to school. I occasionally go on dates and I do have sexual options. But one day I heard about penpals for prisoners and so I looked into it more. I get pretty obsessive when I do something so when I first heard about it and started, in the period of a month and a half to date, I talked to over 70 women, whether briefly (most), or I continue to (handful). They all have various release dates, various crimes, and in various facilities. Yes, most ask for money. No, I don’t give them money. But I do return stamps through Securus and occasionally do phone calls with my favorites. Even just communicating is really expensive over time and some apps charge up to a dollar to send a letter. Some are 10 cents to send a text. Anyways, feel free to ask me anything!
I am a penpal for female inmates. AMA
r/AMA
Comments
Thats the most common complaint?
Are you man or woman?
What country are you in?
What’s the most interesting thing a penpal has shared?
Do you exchange photos?
Have you gone to visit any of them?
Any plans to meet up with any of them upon release?
What age group are the women?
What sort of crimes are they doing or do you ask them? Any murders etc or ones who are in for long sentences?
Got the idea but I have to ask why? Do you get anything positive in your life as a result?
At first it seems you’re spending money and time being criminals’ emotional crutch. Is that true? Would you consider it “true connection”?
1 and half months and you talked/message with 70 women! Wow that’s a lot, how many per day etc you messaged?
Are they in different prisons/different states or local?
Did you ever see the Seinfeld episode when George gets engaged to a prisoner?
Why do you want to correspond with someone who isn’t available? It seems like a hassle to build a relationship with someone behind. I don’t see the upside
Are you worried that they may try to con you?
What if you meet one and they shank you?
I have a (boring/typical) life – have career, raise kids, happily married to my husband, have friends and am very social- but have thought MANY times about being a pen pal to inmates. I think it comes from watching all those documentaries personally for me. Just another avenue to add interest in my life. I really dont know why. I wouldnt be looking for anything, not trying to change/enhance anyone’s life but if I did in the mean time- great! Anyway, just my perspective! I dont see anything odd about what you are doing
Don’t you scared of them what if they try to do something bad when they meet you
Do you tell them your real name/ how much do you let them know about you? Do you think they’ll try to connect when they get out?
How do you select the women you write?
Edit: do you email or is it snail mail?
How do you even get started doing this?
Do you have a PO Box? If not, are you worried that they have your mailing address?
Do the photos get sexual?
Are most of the ones you talk to hot or no?
You mentioned one of them gets released tomorrow and you have plans to meet. You message these women with romantic interest?
Are you interested in a relationship (not with them but in general)?
If you did get into one, how would you handle the communication moving forward, especially for the ones where you’re their only contact and an emotional crutch?
How much a month do you typically spend on the hobby?
What things have you changed your mind about since writing to them?
Like, did you have any preconceived notions that have changed? Or learned anything surprising about the systems?
Are you male or female?
Why not male inmates?
Do you believe anyone you have spoken to was innocent?
Did you find evidence of police brutality?
Do you support BLM?
What are the most common criminal offenses that you come across?
This is how I met my baby daddy 😂😂
You know sending stamps via Securus is just a roundabout way to get money from you right?