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Original poster

Letters to criminals

30 replies

AcornAutumn · 26/12/2020 22:59

Yes, it's a weird one

I was thinking about how some serial killers etc get people writing them letters.

What happens in high security prisons? I'm guessing the letters get read before they are passed on?

And are criminals free to write back to whoever writes to them?

I guess i just thought there'd be an approved list or something!

OP posts:
Original poster
AcornAutumn · 26/12/2020 23:36

Bump

OP posts:
PurpleFrames · 26/12/2020 23:39

I'm really curious too! I hope someone comes along with deets!

Santaisreel · 26/12/2020 23:42

I'm sure there is probably a website for this.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Crime
indemMUND · 26/12/2020 23:48

I wrote to one many years ago. I attached a cover letter mentioning my reason for writing (studying forensic psychology and criminology at uni) thinking that prison officials would detach it before passing it on. Nope. The recipient made reference to it in their reply. I wrote back and forth a few times and even received a Christmas card. In my experience there is no approved list.

Elieza · 26/12/2020 23:49

Good question.

Back in the day all the mail in and out was ready and the letters were on prison paper with an ink stamp on it (perhaps to indicate the pages had been read).

But now there is gdpr and everyone has rights...

indemMUND · 26/12/2020 23:50

The replies I received had been opened and had a small printed notice placed into the envelope stating that they'd been read. The person I write to always signed his name across the envelope seal at the back but the letters had been slit open at the top or sides and resealed with sellotape.

JustanotherJP · 26/12/2020 23:54

Most prisoners use email now which can be read.

Any physical letters received by prisons are usually read and photocopied and the photocopy given over. This tries to capture the common trick of spraying drugs on the paper.

indemMUND · 26/12/2020 23:54

*wrote to. It's not ongoing correspondence. Ended several years before the person died.

Original poster
AcornAutumn · 26/12/2020 23:55

Thank you, that's interesting

But i just can't imagine being able to write to say, Joanna Dennehy, saying "hey hun, what's going on in your head now.?"

And who would give Ted Bundy their home address!

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Iamthewombat · 26/12/2020 23:56

Charles Salvador (formerly Bronson) is getting his endless supply of girlfriends from somewhere. I’d love to know (1) why these women contact notorious prisoners and (2) why the prisoners write back to women who quite clearly have a screw loose if they are contacting murderers out of the blue hoping for a romance with them.

indemMUND · 26/12/2020 23:57

Seeing your home address written in the handwriting of a serial killer is very jarring.

Original poster
AcornAutumn · 27/12/2020 00:00

@Iamthewombat

Charles Salvador (formerly Bronson) is getting his endless supply of girlfriends from somewhere. I’d love to know (1) why these women contact notorious prisoners and (2) why the prisoners write back to women who quite clearly have a screw loose if they are contacting murderers out of the blue hoping for a romance with them.
Well, the prisoners won't care about that.

Why? Hybristophilia is a thing, though I've no idea why it's a thing.

OP posts:
Original poster
AcornAutumn · 27/12/2020 00:01

@indemMUND

Seeing your home address written in the handwriting of a serial killer is very jarring.
I'd have thought you would use the name and address of your uni.
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indemMUND · 27/12/2020 00:05

Nope. Naive 19 year old me living at home didn't think about that option. All these years later I don't know what to do with the letters. They've been in the back of a cupboard for a long time. The passage of time and having a child of my own has made me not want to touch them.

Original poster
AcornAutumn · 27/12/2020 00:09

@indemMUND

Nope. Naive 19 year old me living at home didn't think about that option. All these years later I don't know what to do with the letters. They've been in the back of a cupboard for a long time. The passage of time and having a child of my own has made me not want to touch them.
So it was a long time ago?

I wonder if they remove addresses for safeguarding now.

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NaturesEnd · 27/12/2020 00:16

I imagine it would start off as some kind of odd saviour complex, they can understand this poor misunderstood guy. Perhaps they then get sucked in, being not very bright. I hate the veneration and attention some serial killers get. Ed Kemper is a, prime example, on reddit people seem to love him.just because he can construct a sentence and read some audio books doesn't mean he is a good guy. I have seen a lot of people blaming his mother for his acts. He is not a reliable witness and tbh his mother was fairly frigging justified in being wary of him when he had already killed his grandparents.

Original poster
AcornAutumn · 27/12/2020 00:29

I'm not thinking so much why people do it

It's more that I am surprised it's allowed.

OP posts:
NaturesEnd · 27/12/2020 00:43

Why wouldn't it be allowed though? Confused

Original poster
AcornAutumn · 27/12/2020 00:49

@NaturesEnd

Why wouldn't it be allowed though? Confused
Well I'm being stupid I guess

But I thought a high security prison wouldn't want to say "Charles, here's your fan mail". It would feed their ego and if they are considered a danger to staff, that could make it worse?

And giving them addresses - safeguarding.

Is someone like Anders Brevik allowed fan mail?

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Original poster
AcornAutumn · 27/12/2020 00:53

Actually i just looked that up

Quite some behaviour going on there.

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whoamongstus · 27/12/2020 00:59

There's a lot of murderers etc on WriteAPrisoner. I write to a woman in America, it's been a really eye-opening, rewarding, and lovely experience.

covidaintacrime · 27/12/2020 01:14

God thank you for that site, @whoamongstus, I'd never heard of it and it's so interesting! Albeit a little strange reading what seems like dating profiles and then realising these people will be incarcerated until 2045 for first degree murder Shock

Maybe I'm sheltered though!

Soutiner · 27/12/2020 01:21

I think in certain cases such as Chris Watts (America) where he murdered his wife and children they shouldn’t be allowed letters/communication unless it’s from his own family.

He committed the most heinous of crimes and it doesn’t seem right that he is sent ‘fan’ letters from women who will feed his ego.

I do however think that some prisoners who have committed non violent crimes, especially if they are young and have no contact from family, could benefit from communicating with people who may be able to provide a moral compass and emotional support which may benefit them upon their eventual release and help stop them from getting into trouble again.

BuffaloMozzerella · 27/12/2020 01:28

A friend of mine (UK based) wrote to a prisoner in the US. Not a serial killer but someone who had a troubled life of drugs and escalating crime. He had spent more of his adult life in prison than out of it.

They messaged via an official contact app to start with so no addresses swapped. I think it was also possible to call through the app by purchasing a special SIM card but I can't remember exactly how that worked. She did end up giving him her address so they could send photos to each other.

It all escalated over a period of time with him demanding money off her and putting her under pressure to go and visit him in the US. He could be very abusive and manipulative in his behaviours and she became frightened of him. Fortunately she was able to stop contacting him.

peppita · 27/12/2020 01:38

@indemMUND

Nope. Naive 19 year old me living at home didn't think about that option. All these years later I don't know what to do with the letters. They've been in the back of a cupboard for a long time. The passage of time and having a child of my own has made me not want to touch them.

Can I be nosey and ask who it was?