WriteAPrisoner.com

Infobox_Organization
name = WriteAPrisoner.com
image_border = Writeaprisoner.com-logo.jpg
caption = WriteAPrisoner.com, Inc. Logo
membership = 5,000 inmate members, 41,000 non-inmate members
headquarters = Edgewater, Florida
formation = 2000
website =

http://www.writeaprisoner.com/

WriteAPrisoner.com is an online business that posts personal profiles and requests for legal assistance for inmates. Additionally, the site provides other prison-related services. The prison pen pal website was launched in 2000 and currently hosts more than 5,000 inmate profiles. With the growing trend in incarceration (the U.S. prison population has quadrupled since the 1980s), the impact felt by families and society in general is vast. This site, although retail in nature, is also involved with many human rights activities. The site's stated mission is to reduce recidivism through letter writing. In addition to helping inmates establish pen pal relationships, the site: 1) hosts an interactive forum where friends and families of inmates connect, share, and provide support to each other; 2) offers a free résumé-posting service for inmates being released within the year; 3) coordinates a Books Behind Bars program to promote literacy and educational opportunities; 4) provides a comprehensive resource list for family members; and 5) provides scholarships for children impacted by crime.

Background

Many inmates profiled on this site are incarcerated in the United States. However, the site also lists international inmates. The site features a Books Behind Bars program, resources for inmates and their families, and resources for crime victims. 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 range from seeking advice about corresponding and visiting inmates to 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 & Infamous Inmate Profiles

The site received national media attention in July 2003 when convicted child killer Susan Smith posted an ad seeking pen pals. [cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-07-11-susan-smith_x.htm |title=Online personal ad features child killer Susan Smith |accessdate=2008-02-03 |author=Associated Press |publisher=USA Today] [cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A17338-2003Jul19?language=printer |title=Serving Life, a Pen Pal Crashes the Server |accessdate=2008-02-03 |author=Manuel Ruig-Franzia] The South Carolina Department of Corrections issued a press release related to the incident. [cite web |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070214134915/http://www.doc.sc.gov/PublicInformation/MediaInformation/SusanSmithInformation.htm |title=Statement Regarding Inmate Susan Smith SCDC #221487 |accessdate=2008-02-03 |author=South Carolina Dept. of Corrections] Writeaprisoner.com removed the ad at the request of Susan Smith. [cite web |url=http://www.writeaprisoner.com/pressrelease-3.htm |title=WriteAPrisoner.com Press Release - Susan Smith |accessdate=2008-02-03 |author=WriteAPrisoner.com] The site received some criticism when its spokesperson, Jason Roberts, used the term "freak show" to describe the way that the press covered the Susan Smith story. [cite web |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/07/11/national/main562946.shtml |title=Site Asks Kid Killer to Remove Ad |accessdate=2008-02-03 |author=Associated Press] The site later issued a press release apologizing and stating that the term had been taken out of context. Another well known inmate that maintains a profile on the site is Susan Lucille Wright who tied her husband to their bed and stabbed him nearly 200 times. [cite web |url=http://www.writeaprisoner.com/Template.aspx?i=z-1220418 |title=Susan Lucille Wright Personal Ad |accessdate=2008-02-03 |author=Susan Lucille Wright] The site has been featured on many programs including 20/20 [cite web |url=http://abcnews.go.com/2020/US/story?id=1052747&page=1 |title=Why Are Women Marrying Murderers? |accessdate=2008-02-03 |author=20/20] and E! True Hollywood Story, [cite web |url=http://imdb.com/title/tt0943988/ |title=THS Investigates: Love Behind Bars |accessdate=2008-02-03 |author=Documentary] The site claims to avoid 'shock media' and notorious inmates and has pulled inmate ads to avoid sensationalism. Kenneth Foster, Jr., whose stay of execution was granted by Texas Governor Rick Perry just hours before the scheduled execution, [cite web |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/083107dntexexecution.8544bf20.html |title=Perry commutes Texas death row inmate Foster's sentence |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=Emily Ramshaw] maintains a profile on the site. [cite web |url=http://www.writeaprisoner.com/Template.aspx?i=z-1451768 |title=Kenneth Foster, Jr. Personal Ad |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=Kenneth Foster, Jr.] In March of 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. [cite web |url=http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=4609492&nav=3YeX |title=Web site pulls ad placed by Conn. inmate |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=Hartford-AP] 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. [cite web |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/03/09/web_site_pulls_ad_placed_by_conn_inmate/ |title=Web site pulls ad placed by Conn. inmate |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=Hartford AP] Writeaprisoner.com has also hosted a profile for Francisco Martin Duran and currently hosts one for Kenny Kimes [cite web |url=http://www.writeaprisoner.com/TemplateDisplay.aspx?i=z-v80313 |title=Kenny Kimes Personal Ad |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=Kenny Kimes] and Esteban Carpio [cite web |url=http://www.writeaprisoner.com/Template.aspx?i=z-128603 |title=Esteban T Carpio Personal Ad |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=Esteban Carpio] .

Other controversies involved claims of inmates misleading the public. When the state of Missouri investigated claims that female inmates were deceiving male pen pals, [cite web |url=http://www.doc.missouri.gov/newsreleases/NewsRelease_031307.pdf |title=Department to Ban Inmates From Soliciting Pen Pals on Websites |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=Missouri Dept. of Corrections] the proactive response of the site resulted in a positive response by the public. Fact|date=February 2008 The site has received negative comments by public officials in some regions and has been criticized by some members of the public as well [cite web |url=http://www.kidk.com/news/7679452.html |title=Prison Love Part 1 |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=Mary Sturgill] . 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." [cite web |url=http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2005/11/01/news/iowa/eedf0d58a0523811862570ac000db6a7.txt |title=Officials leery of inmate personal ads seeking pen pals |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=Cedar Rapids, Iowa AP] And, 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. [cite web |url=http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?6584b268-6a33-4ad5-9b0d-eb17113eb5d5 |title=Arizona Prison Ban Struck Down |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=Nicholas M. Horrock] Similar rules by other Departments of Corrections have also been ruled unconstitutional. Finally, a government study conducted by Richard Tewksbury, Ph.D. [ [http://louisville.edu/justiceadministration/faculty-staff/faculty/richard-tewksbury.html Richard Tewksbury, Ph.D. , Dept. of Justice Administration — University of Louisville ] ] of the University of Louisville reported that not all inmates on the site accurately report their crimes or release dates. [cite web |url=http://www.uscourts.gov/fedprob/December_2005/personals.html |title=Personal Ads From Prisoners: Do Inmates Tell the Truth about Themselves? |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=Richard Tewksbury] 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. [cite web |url=http://www.writeaprisoner.com/precautionary-measures-taken.aspx |title=Precautionary Measure Taken by WriteAPrisoner.com |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=WriteAPrisoner.com] 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. Legislation protecting prisoners' rights has resulted from the site's advocacy and outreach efforts. Fact|date=February 2008 The site works with states' Departments of Corrections to ensure that the First Amendment rights of inmates are protected. The site has collaborated with the ACLU and the Florida Justice Institute regarding rights of inmates [cite web |url=http://blog.nola.com/topnews/2007/05/web_sites_promoting_liaisons_w/print.html |title=Web sites promoting liaisons with prisoners abound |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=G. Scheet] and has been represented by the Florida Justice Institute [cite web |url=http://www.fdrag.org/newsletters/may04.html |title=Pen pal ads nixed in Florida |accessdate=2008-02-04 |author=Mark Thompson] . 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 [cite web |url=https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/radio/segment.asp?se=%2B&ci=4923&fileDate=2006_03_22 |title=Interview with WriteAPrisoner.com founder Adam Lovell |accessdate=2008-02-05 |author=Bob Parsons] for GoDaddy Radio's first anniversary because of the widespread influence WriteAPrisoner.com has had in the prison subculture. Lovell established a blog [cite web |url=http://www.writeaprisoner.com/vbforum/blogs/viewblog.php?userid=30651 |title=Webmaster’s Blog |accessdate=2008-02-05 |author=Adam Lovell] 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 [cite web |url=http://www.writeaprisoner.com/precautionary-measures-taken.aspx |title=Precautionary Measures Taken by WriteAPrisoner.com |accessdate=2008-02-05 |author=WriteAPrisoner.com] .

Impact

With the growing trend toward incarceration in the United States (currently 2 1/2 million Americans are incarcerated), services for inmates have even reached the virtual world as seen on this site. The trend is expected to continue. 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, [cite web |url=http://www.alexa.com/browse/general/?&CategoryID=109405&mode=general&Start=1&SortBy=Popularity |title=Sites in Prisoners and Inmates |accessdate=2008-02-05 |author=Alexa: The Web Information Company] 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 email printouts from online pen pals [cite web |url=http://www.news.com/Police-blotter-Prison-inmate-wants-personal-ad-replies/2100-1030_3-6134417.html |title=Police blotter: Prison inmate wants personal ad replies |accessdate=2008-02-05 |author=Declan McCullagh] .

The site has gained notoriety in various 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. [Moore (2006), pp. preface.] Another book, "The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue: A Novel", 2004, by Barbara Samuel, quotes WriteAPrisoner.com. [Samuel (2004), pp. 45.] 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. [Goulart (2006), pp. 75-76.] Its Books Behind Bars program [cite web |url=http://www.writeaprisoner.com/books-behind-bars/ |title=Books Behind Bars |accessdate=2008-02-05 |author=WriteAPrisoner.com] has been lauded in O, The Oprah Winfrey Magazine. [cite web |url=http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/200607/omag_200607_bookkeep.jhtml |title=Book Keeping |accessdate=2008-02-06 |author=Aimee lee Ball] "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. [Lovell (2007), pp. 67, 147.] A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book go to support the site's scholarship fund. [cite web |url=http://www.writeaprisoner.com/not-this-sunday.aspx |title=Recommended Reading |accessdate=2008-02-06 |author=WriteAPrisoner.com] The site even finds itself the subject of parody at times by some media outlets [cite web |url=http://www.observer.com/2003/meet-wesley-clark-jr |title=Meet Wesley Clark Jr. |accessdate=2008-02-06 |author=Lizzy Ratner, Ken Moy, & George Gurley] . Most recently the site was mentioned in the "Mensa Research Journal" as an example of giftedness in the workplace. [Lovell (2008), "Finding Your Niche or Creating Your Niche? You Decide" Mensa Research Journal, Vol. 39, No. 2.]

Notes

References

*cite book |ref=CITEREFGoulart2006 |last=Goulart |first=Frances Sheridan |title=One Good Work at a Time: Simple Things You Can Do to Make a Difference |year=2006 |publisher=Sorin Books |location=Notre Dame, Indiana |isbn=978-1893732902
*cite book |ref=CITEREFLovell2007 |last=Lovell |first=Cindy |title=Not This Sunday |year=2007 |publisher=NL Associates, Inc. |location=Hightstown, New Jersey |isbn=978-1-878347-72-5
*cite book |ref=CITEREFMoore2006 |last=Moore |first=Jeffrey |title=The Memory Artists |year=2006 |publisher=St. Martin’s Griffin |location=New York, New York |isbn=978-0312349257
*cite book |ref=CITEREFSamuel2004 |last=Samuel |first=Barbara |title=The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue: A Novel |year=2004 |publisher=Ballantine Books |location=New York, New York |isbn=978-0345477750

External links

* [http://www.writeaprisoner.com/ WriteAPrisoner.com]