Writing to Prisoners

Adopt a prisoner

If you’re active in a group or campaign why not choose one or two prisoners to consistently support. Pass cards round meetings, send useful stuff, knock up a flyposter and get their case some publicity if they could use it, get in touch with the prisoner’s support group if there is one. Of course you can take this on as an individual, too.

Writing to prisoners/sending things

Prison is isolation, so contact with the outside world, letting a prisoner know s/he is not forgotten, helps break this down. Sometimes just a friendly card can boost their morale. For example, we received a letter from Herman Wallace, after sending him a card from the group. He said,

” It is quite essential that I take out a moment to express my gratitude to all the wonderful folk who sent me so much love & support in this one card. I am really touched by the intensity of energy from this card and I just had to stand up from my seat and smile. Thank you. Right now, in spite of my repressive condition you guys have made me feel GREAT!”

Writing for the first time to a complete stranger can be awkward. A card with some well wishes, a bit about who you are and asking what you can do to help is often enough. Don’t expect prisoners to write back. Sometimes, the number of letters they can receive/write is restricted, or they just might not be very good a writing back. To help, include a couple of stamps if a UK prisoner, or even better, a stamped addressed envelope. However, if you are writing to a prisoner abroad, International Reply Coupons are unfortunately no longer available from the Post Office and there is no simple alternative.

Write on clean paper and don’t re-use envelopes. Remember a return address, also on the envelope. Ask what the prisoner can have sent to them, as this varies from prison to prison. Books and pamphlets usually have to be sent from a recognised distributor/bookshop/publisher (ask at a friendly bookshop). Tapes, videos, writing pads, zines, toiletries and cheques or postal orders [made out to ‘HMP Prison Service’, with the prisoner’s name and number together with your name on the back] are some of the things you might be able to send.

Some advice on writing to prisoners

One of the main problems that puts people off getting involved in supporting prisoners is a feeling of being intimidated about writing to a prisoner for the first time. It is very hard to write a letter to someone you don’t know: people find that they don’t know what to say, they feel there are things they can’t talk about, or think that prisoners won’t be interested in what they have to say. Well this is a problem most of us have had to get over, so we’ve drawn up some suggestions to help you. Obviously these aren’t rigid guidelines, and we don’t pretend to have solved all problems here. Different people will write different letters. hopefully they will be of some use though.

First things first

Some prisons restrict the number of letters a prisoner can write or receive, and they may have to buy stamps and envelopes: and prisoners aren’t millionaires. So don’t necessarily expect a reply to a card or letter. A lot of prisons allow stamps or an s.a.e to be included with a card or letter, but some don’t. Letters do also get stopped, read, delayed, ‘diverted’. If you suspect your letter has been or will be nicked by the screws, you can send it Recorded Delivery, which unfortunately costs a lot but then they have to open it in the prisoner’s presence. Also you should put a return address, not just so the prisoner can reply (!), but also because some prisons don’t allow letters without a return address. Of course it doesn’t have to be your address, but be careful using PO Box numbers as some prisons don’t allow these either!

Writing for the first time

Say who you are, and if it’s relevant that you’re from such and such a group. Some people reckon it’s better to be up front about your politics as well, to give prisoners the choice to stay in contact with you or not. Say where you heard about them and their case. The first letter can be reasonably short, maybe only a postcard. Obviously when you get to know people better you’ll have more to talk about. If you are writing to a “framed” prisoner, and you believe them to be innocent, it helps to say so, as it gives people confidence to know that you believe them.

Some people when they write to prisoners, are afraid to talking about their lives, what they are up to, thinking this may depress people banged up, especially prisoners with long sentences, or that they are not interested in your life. Although in some cases this may be true, on the whole a letter is the highpoint of the day for most prisoners. prison life is dead boring, and any news that livens it up, whether it’s about people they know or not, is generally welcome. Especially if you didn’t know them before they went to prison, they want to know about you, what your life is like etc. For people imprisoned from our movements and struggles it’s vital to keep them involved in the ongoing resistance – telling them about actions, sending them magazines if they want them, discussing ideas and strategies with them. Use your head though. Some people will just want to keep their head down till they get out.

Remember that all letters are opened and looked through so don’t write stuff that could endanger anyone – this doesn’t mean you should be over paranoid and write one meaningless comment on the weather after the other. Be prepared to share a bit of your life to brighten up someone’s on the inside.

Download: Writing-To-Prisoners.pdf