Hi, I'm new on here, and after reading a lot of threads and posts on this website and looking at many of the profiles, I began to think this is an interesting idea and I really want to write to some of the inmates, I'm interested in writing to inmates who are serving a life sentence or those on death row.

However, I have a few questions.
I don't want to include my full name as my name is quite unique therefore if the inmate passed it onto a friend on the outside, they could easily do a search and find out a lot about me and I like my privacy.
Secondly, I don't want to give out my home address, so I heard about 'emailingaprisoner.com' whereby they forward the letters onto you by email, I thought this was a good idea. If anyone has used this service, can they tell me what they thought about it?

Also, I read on here that someone was visited by someone from the CIA and they didn't live in the USA. I live abroad too, as I live in the UK. I'm 19, but living with my parents at the moment (I live away from home at university during term time), so would any agents visit my house, as I don't want my parents finding out about these letters? Does this happen often, has tit happened to anyone else and what did they ask?

Also, how long should my first letter be and how long does it take to get a reply?

Hi, welcome to WAP first of all.

Honestly I really dont see the problem in giving your full name. I understand its unique and whatever but really I honestly wouldnt imagine these guys would go to that length to find out things about you.
I havent used EAP but know someone who has and she used to get letters sent to her inbox there and read the letter. They scan the letter in and dont type it..she did say it was good and had no problem with it. Its cheaper for them as well because they only use 1 stamp to there rather than the ones they use to post mail to here.
I dont know anything about being visited from the CIA. I have never been and im over here too.

A reply all depends on where your writing to and if they are sending a reply through EAP then it might be a shorter time. The very first letter from my guy took about 3 weeks but there are some people here its taken longer. The letters from here go out on the 4th and the 20th of each month thats when they are posted out then they have to pass the mailroom then be given to the inmate so your best leaving time for that as well.

Originally Posted by fee

Hi, welcome to WAP first of all.

Honestly I really dont see the problem in giving your full name. I understand its unique and whatever but really I honestly wouldnt imagine these guys would go to that length to find out things about you.
I havent used EAP but know someone who has and she used to get letters sent to her inbox there and read the letter. They scan the letter in and dont type it..she did say it was good and had no problem with it. Its cheaper for them as well because they only use 1 stamp to there rather than the ones they use to post mail to here.
I dont know anything about being visited from the CIA. I have never been and im over here too.

A reply all depends on where your writing to and if they are sending a reply through EAP then it might be a shorter time. The very first letter from my guy took about 3 weeks but there are some people here its taken longer. The letters from here go out on the 4th and the 20th of each month thats when they are posted out then they have to pass the mailroom then be given to the inmate so your best leaving time for that as well.

Hi, thank you for the quick reply and all the information
I guess, with EAP I have to include my full name anyways, the only problem I have is that you have to pay a $25 annual service fee for incoming mail, but I guess that's the price I have to pay if I don't want to use my home address.

If I send a letter with EAP, does the 4th and 20th rule still apply, or do they just send them whenever?

Also, is there a limit on the number of people I can write to, I'm not planning on writing to loads, just wondering if there's a limit?

Thank you

Originally Posted by hm93

Hi, thank you for the quick reply and all the information
I guess, with EAP I have to include my full name anyways, the only problem I have is that you have to pay a $25 annual service fee for incoming mail, but I guess that's the price I have to pay if I don't want to use my home address.

If I send a letter with EAP, does the 4th and 20th rule still apply, or do they just send them whenever?

Also, is there a limit on the number of people I can write to, I'm not planning on writing to loads, just wondering if there's a limit?

Thank you

Your very welcome.
Yeah theres a charge but look into it as well is there not a charge as well to recieve the letters?
No if you send a letter with EAP they send them out pretty much straight away and the person will get them it maybe takes a week or so. Its only the 4th and 20th here for your initial letters.
I think there is a limit here as to how many you send out but honestly i dont think theres one with EAP.

good luck

I would try one first. I´m writing to a guy on death row and must admit that there ist more to handle on the emotional level than I had thought when I started writing. So pick one and after a couple of months, when you feel it´s ok, then choose another one.
By the way, I use my full name and home adress. Don´t you think you should talk to your parents about that? You will not allways be in a good mood when you recieved a letter and it´s allways good to have someone to talk to about that. I dind´t tell anybody first. But when it started to get diffficult sometimes, I decided to tell my friends and they are a good support. They also asked my if I´m not scared using my home adress. But to be honest: I think he has other problems than persuing me overseas.

Originally Posted by fee

Your very welcome.
Yeah theres a charge but look into it as well is there not a charge as well to recieve the letters?
No if you send a letter with EAP they send them out pretty much straight away and the person will get them it maybe takes a week or so. Its only the 4th and 20th here for your initial letters.
I think there is a limit here as to how many you send out but honestly i dont think theres one with EAP.

good luck

There's a $25 annual fee charge to receive the letters initially. Then it's $1 for each letter sent (maximum of 3 pages) and $1 for every letter scanned to your e-mail adress (max of 6 sides).

I think, I will write the letters today and send them off tomorrow

Thank you

Originally Posted by hm93

There's a $25 annual fee charge to receive the letters initially. Then it's $1 for each letter sent (maximum of 3 pages) and $1 for every letter scanned to your e-mail adress (max of 6 sides).

I think, I will write the letters today and send them off tomorrow

Thank you

ahhh right I thought there was.

your welcome happy writing....

Originally Posted by jumbo13

I would try one first. I´m writing to a guy on death row and must admit that there ist more to handle on the emotional level than I had thought when I started writing. So pick one and after a couple of months, when you feel it´s ok, then choose another one.
By the way, I use my full name and home adress. Don´t you think you should talk to your parents about that? You will not allways be in a good mood when you recieved a letter and it´s allways good to have someone to talk to about that. I dind´t tell anybody first. But when it started to get diffficult sometimes, I decided to tell my friends and they are a good support. They also asked my if I´m not scared using my home adress. But to be honest: I think he has other problems than persuing me overseas.

Yeah true, I guess I am just being rather paranoid.
The reason I don't want to talk to my parents is because I know they would be against it, and after a few letters I may talk to them, but at first I don't want to.
I do have someone to talk to about it as my friend sent of her first letters yesterday as we have been discussing it for a while, so we decided to keep each other updated, therefore if I do need to talk to someone to deal with the emotions, she will be there.

And I've already picked one inmate who I would like to write a letter to, he's service life without parole, so I'll probably just send one letter for now and think about contacting more inmates once/if he does reply.

Thank you