by Inmate Contributor | Oct 11, 2015 | From the Inside
I am 33 years old. I have no family but a brother who is also in prison. I have really had a hard life. I was kidnapped from my grandma by my mom, physically and sexually abused, forced to live and stay in closets, from hotel to hotel, for four months. I was tied down to a car seat with an extension cord and left on a doorstep of a group home, all at the age of four years old. I was in many different placements as a child.
At the age of 18 I was kicked out of state custody with no after-care, and was found to be SMI (seriously mentally ill). At 18 1/2 years old, I was sent to prison for $500 of forgery and given four and a half years, plus two years in county jail. I did not get out of prison until age 25. I had no family, and no place to go. Seven months later I was attacked by a man and defended myself, and ended up going to prison for four more years. I got out at 29 years old, was found to be mentally disabled and put on disability. At the age of 32, I was stopped by the Gang Unit because I have a lot of tattoos. I was walking down Broadway Road and they wanted me to strip down to my boxers on the main road to take pictures of my tattoos. I said no. They got mad – four of them jumped me, and then took me to jail. I mentally broke down, slipped out of my handcuffs and hit one of the four officers two times with my hand, and for that I got 28 years flat. I don’t have anyone.
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by Melissa Bee | Oct 10, 2015 | From the Inside
Written by a recently-adopted prisoner in Texas
- Love cures people – both the ones who receive it, and the ones who give it – Karl Menninger
- If I know what love is, it’s because of you – Herman Hesse
I came into this place (prison) broken, bruised, feeling alone, with no sense of belonging. I’ve had people hate on me, make fun of me … but I dust myself off and keep going. You have a feeling of loneliness, of being forgotten. Many nights of crying yourself to sleep. Then, when you least expect it, that angel comes into your life. And shows you love, and compassion. They give you a sense of hope, a sense of belonging. They show you what family means, even if it’s not family by blood. And family is what I have found with Adopt an Inmate. Thanks for everything that you do for each and every one of us. Thanks for showing we are loved, cared for, and that we are not forgotten.
by Melissa Bee | Oct 8, 2015 | From the Inside
Sketch and letter from a Florida inmate
I was wrongfully incarcerated and am waiting for the documentation that proves my innocence.
I had a brain aneurysm from stress, resulting in spastic paralysis, and have had 40% recovery.
I’ve self-educated myself. I do not do drugs or smoke.
My interests are art, writing short stories, recipes, and I would like to learn about penny stocks. I’m caring, considerate and understanding.
I would like to find someone in my life, like a mother-, father-, brother- or sister-figure, to cry with, laugh with, and support each other.
by Melissa Bee | Oct 5, 2015 | From the Inside
This is the first post in an ongoing series, “Letters From Prison.” These are real letters, from real human beings. Please read and share widely, so the outside world will know the truth about what really happens inside of a prison. Brace yourself for this first one.
Please Adopt Me, Someone
Who I Am
I am a 26 year old white male and I’m serving the remaining 19 years of a 25 year sentence. I am doing everything in my power to become a better person. I still have a good chance at re-entering society and being a productive part of a community. I want to be someone who has the wisdom, patience, and understanding that it takes to be a positive influence in lives of people around me. I want to donate the rest of my life to making the world a better and safer place.
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by Melissa Bee | Oct 1, 2015 | From the Staff
We’re thrilled to announce the first issue of our online quarterly newsletter, created especially for family members, friends, and advocates of prisoners. To be added to the mailing list, enter your email in the sidebar to the right.
Thank you, Connie Bergstrom, for your soothing contribution, I’m looking forward to an Epsom soak now that this issue is out ツ.
by Melissa Bee | Sep 30, 2015 | From the Inside
This card was handmade by a prisoner. It takes up to six hours to create one of these intricately folded pop-up cards. You might wonder what the cost is. The prison artist charges one soup, which costs about a quarter.
by Melissa Bee | Sep 24, 2015 | From the Inside
This beautiful work is by our friend Allen Fong, a California inmate. Allen is also the contributor of our Welcome banner featured at the top of the blog page.
Thank you Allen!
by Melissa Bee | Sep 23, 2015 | From the Inside
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg should be on every prisoner’s books-to-read wish list.
Forming good habits, changing old habits, reducing bad habits – are all much easier when you understand how habits are formed in our brain stem’s ancient ‘lizard brain’ area beyond conscious awareness.
Habits are not formed or changed the way most people believe. You will be fascinated by this useful book.
— Prisoner in Sing Sing Correctional Facility, Ossining, NY
Note: When sending books to prisoners, it is usually required that books be sent directly from the publisher or bookseller. Please check the rules for the specific facility, which can usually be found on the website. (If you don’t see mail rules on the site, look in the family handbook, also usually available to view and/or download on the facility website.)
by Melissa Bee | Sep 22, 2015 | From the Inside
This is from Randy in Texas, who is looking for a Christian family to adopt him.
A description of myself is thus: I am 31 years old, 6’2″, 200 lbs., dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, with several tattoos. I regret every tattoo that I ever got. I’ve nothing against tattoos, God has just changed my way of thinking. I would really love to have a family to talk to and a family that cared. Just the thought of having an adopted family gives me a sense of hope that brightens my future. I am not one to take advantage of people’s kindness. I pray that a family would be willing to adopt this lost sheep. I never thought I’d ever have a family again. I’ve tried and tried to get my family to be a family to me. I pray that this is God’s answer to my prayers.
by Melissa Bee | Sep 13, 2015 | From the Staff
An easy and inexpensive way to help!
Postage is our biggest expense, along with ink, paper, and envelopes.
Please consider donating a book of stamps by mailing them in*, or by clicking on the donation button at the top of the sidebar on the right. A book of 20 stamps costs $9.80 – or some of the specialty stamps shown below come in sheets of 16 for $7.84 – either way, 49¢ per stamp.
He poured his soul into stories, articles, and poems, and entrusted them to the machine. He folded them just so, put the proper stamps inside the long envelope along with the manuscript, sealed the envelope, put more stamps outside, and dropped it into the mail-box. It traveled across the continent, and after a certain lapse of time the postman returned him the manuscript in another long envelope, on the outside of which were the stamps he had enclosed. — Martin Eden by Jack London
I love the rebelliousness of snail mail, and I love anything that can arrive with a postage stamp. There’s something about that person’s breath and hands on the letter. — Diane Lane
Stamps are a critical commodity for prisoners. They are often the main form of tender, and are traded for everything from laundry service, to soups, from handmade artwork, to books. My brother recently traded three stamps for a $12 book. That’s how valuable a stamp is in prison.
There are few facilities that actually allow prisoners to receive stamps in the mail – most must purchase them from commissary or canteen (at a cost increase); and indigent inmates who qualify are generally only allowed a limited number of postage-paid outgoing envelopes per week.
We burn through a LOT of stamps every week, by both responding to letters from prisoners, and also sending stamps to those who are allowed to receive them. These letters serve many purposes, including encouraging literacy, stimulating creativity, and providing comfort. Nothing is more desired from a prisoner than to hear his or her name at mail call.
A piece of mail carries with it validation from the outside, tangible confirmation that he or she has not been forgotten. That letter becomes even more welcome when the stamp is visually eye-catching, and reminiscent of something pleasurable – like music.
Be an Angel, Donate Some Stamps!
*Mail stamps to:
Stamp Campaign
Adopt an Inmate
PO Box 1543
Veneta, OR 97487
