Why Correspond with Inmates?

Because you could make a difference in someone’s life.

Numerous studies have shown that a single pen-friend can make a significant impact on an inmate’s daily life, rehabilitation process, legal battle, sense of determination, and feeling of hope. Others have shown that inmates with one or multiple contacts in the outside world are less likely to re-offend and will have better chances of reintegrating society and finding employment. In fact, both of us, Sigrid and Élodie, co-founders of Wire of Hope, have been writing to inmates for years and have experienced the change in our pen-pals’ lives, as well as in our own.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics indicates that at least 95% of American State inmates will eventually be released from prison.

Most inmates, especially those with long sentences, will at some point experience loneliness, despair and a social and emotional struggle that will be extremely difficult – if not impossible – to overcome after their release. In the United States, prison administrations rarely work towards correction and rehabilitation, and mostly focus on punishment. This treatment strips inmates of their self-esteem, but also of their sense of belonging and being appreciated, which most of them already lacked, especially as kids. Obviously, Wire of Hope does not condone criminal activity of any sort, but we do believe in rehabilitation, and we believe that when one ends up being treated like an animal, with no dignity and no purpose in life, their chances of reintegrating into life outside of prison are extremely low.

During our fight for prison reform, we were asked on multiple occasions why we decided to focus on criminals, instead of victims. It would be easy to lock them all up and throw away the key, but in times like these, where the United States houses almost 25% of the world’s total number of inmates while having less than 5% of the world’s population, it is necessary to take a new look at the situation and rethink our ways of dealing with this issue. For this reason, we chose to focus not on ways to punish, but on ways to ensure that these people will not re-offend once released.

Why would anyone care for these people, that most see as nothing but a lost cause?

As simple members of society, without political agendas or attention from the public, it may seem that our ways to make a difference in the prison system are quite limited. However, writing a letter to someone in prison and building a connection with them, even as little as once a month or every other month, can lead to tremendous benefits. Not only does corresponding with someone in the outside world provide inmates with a distraction from the monotony and emptiness of prison life, but it also brings them a feeling of acceptance they have been missing, sometimes for years. This opportunity to drop the mask and express themselves can lead to solid friendships and help inmates feel less stigmatized. Conversing with people on the outside, with similar or very different experiences in life, will help them either to feel understood and accepted, or to open their minds to new ways of life and fields of opportunities.

Ultimately, a correspondence can lead to unsuspected positive changes, in inmates’ and in respondents’ lives.

Still have questions?

Plenty of reading materials and resources are available to you on Wire of Hope to answer any questions you might have about corresponding with inmates. Take a look at our tips for beginning a correspondence, our FAQ, and last but not least, our Inmate Profiles! You can also look for an inmate through our advanced search engine.

If you have a loved one in prison and wish to have them listed on Wire of Hope, check how to add their profile!

You can also take a look at our Terms of Service and Precautionary Measures.

Finally, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our team! We are happy to help with any concerns of yours.