Communicating with prisoners on death row??

[Rupert_Baehr]

strangely enough i got that bit, but i was wondering how they actually got the names of people in prison or on death row!? especially as they are in america. imd be interested to know if since the expansion of the internet whether more communications with these prisoners are made.

i find it fascinating!

 

I expect they find out 'who is where' from newspapers. They would probably (in the US) be able to find out the location of a given prisoner by submitting a 'freedom of Information' request.

 

If you wanted to locate somebody who is in a British Prison, you would have to submit a location request to the Prisoner Location Service.

 

Inmates of UK prisons are not permitted to access the internet. (They're not supposed to have mobile phones either ... but those do seem to get in to prisons.)

[elenab]

i dont think those in american prisons have access to internet, i think they write an ad and its gets put up by someone who works in the prison, as the ads always have an address to send letters to and many only want pen pals in america beacuse to post outside of america would cost too much.

[Babooshka]

I started writing to a man on death row in America in 1993. He is now no longer on death row, but we are still good penfriends, and I have visited him three times. I also started writing to a man on another of America's death row several years ago. He is still on death row. It is one of the most important things I have done in my life. It is my peaceful, and respectful way of showing that I support their human right to life.

 

There is a UK-based organisation called 'LifeLines' through which anyone can embark upon correspondence with a death row inmate in America. Most people take on this responsibility because they feel that the death penalty is wrong, and wish to throw a 'lifeline' to a person who, in most cases, has nothing and nobody, and whose arrival on death row is almost always due to circumstances surrounding their upbringing, and life thus far.

 

It is important to remember that most people, including murderers, are more than their worst crime. Just because the state deems it 'justice' to terminate their lives does not solve the problem of their crime and what got them, and any future death row inmates, there in the first place. Nor does the state's punishment stop with the criminal. It extends much further than that.

 

I have had the pleasure of meeting several men who have been incarcerated on America's death row, only to be exonerated after their innocence was proved almost 20 years later. The fact that they came, sometimes, days from their execution is an abhoration of the sytem of 'justice' applied in that, and other, countries.

[callippo]

just out of interest, have you ever wanted to write to, or meet, any of the 53 women on death row in the United States?

 

and no, this has got nothing to do with the internet. The famous 'Birdman of Alcatraz', Robert Stroud, corresponded with and even married a woman while he was in prison, although by that time he wasn't on death row any longer. They think it improves their chances of reprieve or parole.

[Babooshka]

The sex of the prisoner was irrelevant. When I subscribed to LifeLines back in 1993, I registered my interest in wishing to write to a prisoner. 'LifeLines' has a list of inmates on America's death row who register THEIR interest in writing to a UK penfriend. You are simply 'paired up' with the person who is at the top of the waiting list. In my case, they were both male. I did not have any choice in the matter. It never crossed my mind. If a female had been at the top of the list when I joined LifeLines, then I would have written to her, obviously. Chances of writing to a woman are much slimmer considering how many men are on death row in comparison.

 

http://www.lifelines-uk.org/

[callippo]

have you ever thought of visiting prisoners here, or do they have to be on death row in the United States? Are you similarly concerned about the welfare of death row prisoners in other countries where there are large numbers of people on death row, such as China and Russia, among others?

 

I'm not doubting your motives, but I have noticed that some foreign tourists visit developing countries and for reasons best known to themselves, decide to visit convicted drug smugglers and murderers when it's never occured to them to visit prisoners in their own country.

[Babooshka]

I don't make a regular habit of visiting prisoners anywhere, be they in the UK or in America or any other country. My life really does not permit this what with its' usual constraints...time, family, money, work etc. I first visited my penfriend whilst, on two occasions, I was on holiday in California, and thought that I should make the effort to meet him. The third time I went to stay with his family.

 

This was a long time ago. Naturally, I am concerned about the welfare of all prisoners, wherever they are in the world.

 

The reason I write to someone in America is purely because, when I was at school at the age of 16 I watched a documentary called '14 Days in May'. Our teacher was educating us on this sensitive subject at the time. I did, then, enquire about the possibility of writing to a prisoner, but I was too young. When I turned 19 I contacted Amnesty International about this matter, as I still held the interest. THEY put me in touch with LifeLines. LifeLines only has the money and capacity to provide support for the USA (although I am sure there are other organisations who work on behalf of prisoners in other countries).

 

Naturally, then, If AI gave me the details of LifeLines, I was only going to get a penfriend in America. Thus, my 17 year correspondence began.

 

If I was wealthy, and had all the time in the world on my hands then I would become much more involved in these matters. However, due to my life and its' constraints, this is not possible, and so, I quietly do 'my bit', and help in the way that I am able. I have no ulterior motives. I care, and do what I can, in my own small way. I wish I could do more...but then again, don't we all.

[callippo]

have you considered perhaps interracting with some of the victims of the prisoners you visited?

[Babooshka]

I have actually met several of victims families during LifeLines conferences, and it is very interesting to talk to them. There is also an organisation called Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation, with whom I have spoken.

 

Like I said though, I am limited in what I can offer ANY organisation or charity, in terms of my time....(of which I have very little to pursue anything!) and so, I do what I am able.

 

I don't have a macabre obsession with visiting American death row inmates, if that's what you mean. Small events in my life had simply led to me having an ongoing, and long-standing correspondence with a death row inmate. It is that simple.

 

If I ever get any additional free time, I am usually fund raising for local community projects etc...that and going to work, and looking after my son. I do what I can, when I can. That is all I can ask of myself.

 

Oh, and for the record....I have only visited MY longest-standing penfriend, rather than, as you say 'prisonerS'.

[alchresearch]

Did anyone ever see that episode of "That Peter Kay Thing" where he played the paperman "Leonard"? He was also a prison pen pal, writing to someone on death row. I won't spoil the ending if you've not seen it!