Hey everyone! I just registered for the forum today. After considering it for a few days, and haunting the forums and reading as much information as I could about everyone's experiences and reasons for being a penpal.. well, I finally wrote my first letter! I'm mailing it tomorrow morning as soon as I get some stamps! I'm considering getting a PO Box. However, money is a bit tight and I don't know if I can afford one yet so I'm not sure if I should use my home address or not?

Anyways I'm very excited to about the prospect of building some very meaningful friendships with my penpal(s). I think I may write to one or two more guys but no more, I don't want to take on more than I can handle. It wouldn't be fair to them.

Just thought I'd stop by and introduce myself!

Postcard from Australia:

220px-JacarandaWooroolinAustralia.jpg

Hello and welcome to WAP! Happy writing.

Very exciting, I recently wrote to 2 new potential's and am anxiously awaiting a response! I know how you feel
As for the PO box, if money's tight and you're comfortable with your home address, I've never heard a bad experience on this forum about anybody turning up on their door step. I use mine, but I'm living in another country lol, so I guess it's not as risky.

Happy writing!

Originally Posted by Xtina

, if money's tight and you're comfortable with your home address, I've never heard a bad experience on this forum about anybody turning up on their door step. !

At times I wish he would turn up here hahaha

welcome to WAP happy writing

Welcome. I use a PO box but now that I've gotten to know my pps, I would feel comfortable giving them my home address. However, I've been lucky with my pps and I can't say I would give it to just anybody.

I've wrote to two pps now and just sent the first letters in the mail. I'm so nervous/excited! After I put them in the mail I was like "Oh no what have I done?!" because I'm afraid they're both going to be like who is this crazy person sending me letters? I don't know how they'll react so I'll just have to take a chance. I basically just introduced myself explained how I found their profiles, discussed interests, etc. I've got those first-time letter jitters.

Leeanna, I never heard a guy refer to a PP as a crazy person because they reached out. You are about to become a beacon to somebody in a very dark place. Most of the people in prison return to normal once they leave the crazy life behind (drugs, drinking, gangs). Yes, all of that stuff is in there also but, not to the same extent and the forced sleeping periods and steady diet help the mind heal faster. There are very, very few actually innocent people in prison. If they are innocent of the crime they were charged with, it means the police know they did something they got away with. Not all are guilty, just a miniscule amount are innocent. Remember that. Never let anyone change your morals. I hope you and your PP's have a long and mutually beneficial relationship. A lot of guys who get out and stay out were able to do so because somebody showed them there is goodness in this world.

Stay strong!

Originally Posted by max,madmax

There are very, very few actually innocent people in prison. If they are innocent of the crime they were charged with, it means the police know they did something they got away with. Not all are guilty, just a miniscule amount are innocent.

That's a very, very wrong statement but that's just my opinion. There are a lot more innocent people in prison that one would like to believe. It makes people feel better if they think that.

Hey Tex, I respect your opinion and won't argue the validity of it. I will say that in the 26 years I was in prison, I never met an actual innocent person. Yes, there are people in prison who were framed - plenty. As stated though, that usually meant they were guilty of something else. Whether they were dealers, gangbangers, or run of the mill crooks, they were doing something to bring the eye of the law on them. Is it right to frame somebody because they were hurting society doing something else - that's another subject. I do hope that any actually innocent person in prison receives their freedom and anything else they can get for their miscarriage of justice. Being guilty of a crime does not make a person "bad", nor does obeying the law making somebody "good people". The media trumpets the release of an person wrongly convicted as it should - it keeps the courts on their toes but, thousands are not innocent and say they are in hopes somebody will take up their cause.
I would never ask or want anybody to not reach out to convicts. I've been out for 6 years and still send over two thousand books every year to prisons. I have great faith that most people are able to be good with help. I respect your opinion but, I'll stick with mine. Anybody who ever forgets that people are in prison for a reason should not take the chance of being taken advantage of. That was and is my advice.

Thanks and stay strong.