We cite without giving names of the writers. We do this because prisonmanagement does often not allow inmates to publish about their life in prison. Penalties can be heavy for them. It happened that all inmates on death row of a certain prison were punished because an outsider had, with good intentions, published names of inmates on the internet

The images and texts on this page may not be used without written (email) permission of "stichting Inside-Outside". We would appreciate it if you would link to this html-page (http://home.planet.nl/~inside-outside/prisonmail-en.html) rather than direct-linking to the image-files.

I've been on California's death row since 1990. My family and friends have all turned their backs on me. I get no visits and the only mail that I receive is from my attorney. It is not the executioner I fear as much as I fear dying or being executed in this hell hole and nobody will know, nobody will care. That prospect scares the hell out of me. I would very much like a penpal. From a letter of a deathrow inmate
I hope you all have a good Yuletide/ Christmas. Thank you for caring about a convict who is way acrossed the ocean and thanks for bringing a little sunshine into my life. Words cannot express my gratitude or yearning for human contact. J.W. California Hello there, I hope your holiday season is going smooth. It was extremely sweet of you to send a stranger a Xmas card. Keep up the good work. You cant even begin to feel how much some of us appreciate all your efforts. Take care. M.M. Texas

A poem written by a prisoner about the attack on the World Trade Center, September 11th 2001

"I wrote Inside-Outside and asked them to help find me a friend to write and they really surprised me when they found me an angel (smile). You really inspire me with your letters, I learn each time something you wrote me." From a letter of a prisoner

I am an inmate of Floridas death row. I just want all of you, readers and penfriends to guys on the row wherever they may be, to know Ive been writing to D. for over two years now. Shes a wonderful friend, now I can call her my sister/friend, because she has shown me so much character of both. I had the privilige of spending the Thanksgiving Day weekend with her, her husband and son. Yes, they made the trip to see me and I can never ever put in words just what that meant to me. It was the most desirable time one can have on the row, to have a visit of that magnitude. W. Florida

(picture made with coffee)