New pen pal

So I have this new pen pal who has been writing me. She's originally from Norway, but ended up living near the North Pole. I didn't even know people live that far north!

She just started writing me, so I haven't really gotten to know her that well yet. She seems really easy to talk to though. I think that's because she has her own rough past, so she can relate to a lot of the same things. Most of the people who write just say things that are encouraging, but she actually has been through a lot too. She is one of the lucky few that broke the criminal cycle and is currently going to college in the UK at Lancaster University. The name is just a coincidence.

Anyway, I hope to soon be doing what she is doing now. Well I guess I want to end this with a proper shout out to her: "A.K., Thanks for writing. You probably don't know it, but what you wrote me has been a real inspiration. I hope to hear from you soon."

You can write Ted or another inmate (even if you live outside the U.S.) by signing up at EmailingAPrisoner.com.

Ted will be transferred to Lake Butler on Monday. He says he will be there for a week before being transferred to a work release camp in his home county.

EmailingAPrisoner.com

Now there’s great new service that makes it easy to write an inmate.

Simply write a letter and email it to www.EmailingAPrisoner.com. They will print it, stuff it in an envelope, stamp it and mail it on your behalf through the US Postal Service. The envelope is addressed to the address you provide and has your return address listed in the upper right hand corner.

If you attach a photo to your message, your photo is printed on high quality 4x6 inch photo paper and mailed along with your letter. 
You can upload photos to a Photo Gallery in your account.

Each letter costs $1 (US). Overseas writers can write US inmates and it costs the same as someone writing domestically. Lots of people can save money by using the service because it’s much cheaper and faster than international mail. Credits can be added to your account through PayPal or a credit card.

Messages are not emailed to a prisoner. The company simply prints and mails your letter to an inmate. You can search for an inmate by state on the company’s web site. The company recommends limiting letters to 3 pages (roughly 3000 words). All messages are printed and mailed within 1 business day (excluding Sundays and Holidays). The service estimates 3 to 5 days for delivery.

EmailingAPrisoner.com makes it easy to find a pen pal. You can search for an inmate to write to on their site.

Ted has a new pen pal from the UK that told me about this awesome service. Right now, he will need to use double the amount of stamps (that a normal domestic letter would require) to write her back. But EmailingAPrisoner.com will soon launch a new service through the site where he can send the letters to EmailingAPrisoner.com (by snail mail), then they will scan the letter and email it to the person who it is meant for. This will save him money on international postage and the letter will arrive in a week instead of 2-3 weeks.

Not only can you save money in postage, paper, envelopes and photos, but it will save you the gas it costs to get to the post office!

It's great to hear from you

The last couple weeks I’ve been getting letters from so many people all over the world. From Charleston, WV to Belgium and Germany. It means so much to me that people from all over the world (that I don’t even know) can take the time to write me and give me advice and encouragement. I can’t even get people I know to write me, so for someone that’s never met me to take the time to write means more to me than you know.

When I started writing, I never thought anybody outside of my city would read my blogs, let alone the country.

Anyway, please keep up the good advice and words of encouragement. I never throw away any of the letters I receive. I save them all, so please keep it up.

Ted will write back to anyone that provides an address, but he can’t write anyone outside of the U.S. because it requires airmail postage.

Writing to Teen in Jail

Last night, an old friend of Ted's who he hasn't seen in a very long time - "T" - knocked on my door to give my husband a letter for Ted. I had conked out at 7:30 p.m. after riding six hours and sitting for six more hours to visit Ted. I was sorry to miss seeing "T". I know Ted will love getting his letter.

While knocking on my door is one way to get a letter to Ted, there's a much simpler way! On the home page of Teen in Jail, Ted's current address is always displayed (right under the site counter). Currently Ted is at the following address:

Braden, Theodore, DC #131948
Lancaster C.I.
3449 SW State Road 26
Trenton, FL 32693-5641

I update that address every time Ted is transferred. If Ted is moved before he receives a letter, the prison will forward it to his new location (although this might take awhile).

For those that hate to hand-write letters and don't have a printer, you can always send an email to teeninjail@yahoo.com. (I usually have to weed through all the notifications that he won 10 million dollars. Boy, wouldn't that be nice?) Sometimes I forget to check that email address, but when I do, I print out the emails and send them to Ted.

You can call him "Ted" (although in prison, they just yell "BRADEN!!!") If you include a return address, he will write you back. (And "T", you can send me your return address to that email!)

Ted can receive greeting cards, but the envelopes must be white or yellow. Don't ask me why they can't be different colors - I don't know. I once sent a Halloween card with an ORANGE envelope (the horror!) and it was returned to me. Another Halloween card had PLASTIC EYEBALLS which apparently is a BIG no-no! So, make sure any cards don't have plastic pieces, glued-on decorations and most terrible of all - no singing cards!

Ted can also receive up to five photos per letter (standard 3X5's or 4X6's). Use discretion when sending pictures, though. No bikinis, for instance, or anything relating to gangs. Make sure you put your return address on the envelope.

Ted loves getting letters. Since he's been in prison, he has received letters from me, his father, his step-father, and just recently - his former girlfriend and two complete strangers. His disabled grandmother, who is completely paralyzed except for one hand, even managed to write him a letter. It completely makes his day to get mail. Strangely enough, the rest of his relatives and friends have not written him.

Out of sight, out of mind

While I was in county jail, I used to get letters from a couple of people. They kept writing and always encouraged me. They told me they would continue to write and they couldn’t wait until I got out. Apparently, that isn’t the case because ever since I got to prison back in September, I haven’t received one letter from any of those people that said they’d keep writing. I guess it's “out of sight, out of mind.”

Being incarcerated, you learn who really cares about you. Even most of my old friends didn’t write me while I was at the jail. It’s been 15 – 16 months since I’ve heard from any of them. Not that I’d want to [hear from them] these days, but it really shows me who keeps me in their thoughts. Although I must say – for the few people who were writing me in the jail, telling me they were proud of me and can’t wait ‘til I get out – it really caught me off guard when you stopped writing. I was hurt for awhile, but now I can see I mean nothing to you. It’s okay though. There are still plenty of people that want me to do right when I get out.

Prison mail rules

The following rules apply to routine mail going to Florida prisons.

33-210.101 Routine Mail.

(1) The provisions of this section shall apply to routine mail. Routine mail is all inmate mail, except legal mail (see 33-210.102, F.A.C. privileged mail (see 33-210.103, F.A.C.) and publications (see 33-501.401, F.A.C.).

(2) Inmates will be permitted to receive only the following types of materials through routine mail:
(a) Written correspondence (no limit as to number of pages). Correspondence may be written on greeting cards, but cards containing electronic or other non-paper parts, cards which are constructed in such a way as to permit concealment of contraband, or which are larger than 8"x10" will not be permitted.
(b) Up to 5 pages of additional written materials, unless prior approval is obtained from the warden to send in an enclosure of greater than five pages.
Each page can be no larger than 8 1/2 x 14 inches in size; material can be on both sides of a page. This does not include bound publications which will be handled pursuant to Rule 33-501.401, F.A.C.
Individual newspaper or magazine articles or clippings or clippings from other publications are permissible, up to the 5 page limit.
No item can be glued, taped, stapled or otherwise affixed to a page.
Requests to send enclosures of greater than five pages shall be made to the warden or his designee prior to sending the material.
Exceptions to the five page limitation are intended for enclosures concerning legal, medical, or other significant issues, and not for material for general reading or entertainment purposes.
The warden shall advise the sender and the mail room of his approval or disapproval of the request.
(c) Photographs. Photographs will be counted toward the 5 page additional materials limitation. Nude photographs or photographs which reveal genitalia, buttocks, or the female breast will not be permitted.
Polaroid photographs will not be permitted.
Photographs will not exceed 8"x10".
(d) Self-addressed stamped envelopes. These items do not count toward the 5 page limitation for additional materials, but cannot exceed the equivalent of 20 (1 ounce) first class stamps.
(e) Blank greeting cards (no larger than 8"x10"), stationery or other blank paper or envelopes. These items do not count toward the 5 page limitation for additional materials, but cannot exceed 10 in number, with a total possession limit of 15 of each item.
(f) U.S. postage stamps. The value of the stamps cannot exceed the equivalent of 20 (1 oz.) first class stamps. These items do not count toward the 5 page limitation for additional materials.

(3) No other items may be received through incoming routine mail. If an impermissible item is found (other than items of an illegal nature, the entire correspondence will be returned to the sender pursuant to subsection (11) of this rule.
For example, the following items are not permissible for inclusion in or attachment to routine mail:
(a) Non-paper items;
(b) Items of a non-communicative nature such as lottery tickets or matchbooks;
(c) Stickers or stamps (other than postage stamps, postal service attachments, and address labels affixed to the outside of the envelope);
(d) Address labels (other than those affixed to the outside of the envelope);
(e) Laminated cards or other laminated materials.

(4) Inmates shall be responsible for informing correspondents of the regulations concerning incoming routine mail.

(5) Any routine mail sent or received may be opened, examined and read by a designated employee.
Outgoing mail shall not be sealed by the inmate sender. Incoming and outgoing mail that is properly addressed and otherwise in compliance with applicable rules shall not be held for processing for more than 48 hours of receipt by the mail room, excluding weekends and holidays.

(6) Except as provided in this section, inmates may send mail to and receive mail from any person or group they wish.

(7) Correspondence with inmates of other penal institutions shall be subject to the approval of the warden of each institution. Either warden shall withhold approval if he finds that the intended correspondence would present a substantial threat of interference with the security, order or rehabilitative objectives of his institution.

(8) Inmates may not send mail to any person who has advised the warden that he does not wish to receive mail from the inmate.
The parents or legal guardians of a person under the age of 18 may advise that mail is not to be sent to such person. Upon receipt of such advisement, the warden will cause to be prepared an acknowledgement specifying that the inmate will not be permitted to send mail to the person requesting the correspondence restriction and that such person should return any further mail received from the inmate and notify the warden of the attempt to correspond.
After the inmate is notified of the correspondence restriction, any further attempt to correspond will be considered a violation of this rule and of section 9-14 of the Rules of Prohibited Conduct, (33-601.314, F.A.C.) and will subject the inmate to disciplinary action.

(9) Outgoing or incoming mail shall be disapproved for mailing or delivery to the inmate if any part of it:
(a) Depicts or describes procedures for the construction of or use of weapons, ammunitions, bombs, chemical agents, or incendiary devices;
(b) Depicts, encourages, or describes methods of escape from correctional facilities or contains blueprints, drawings or similar descriptions of Department of Corrections facilities or institutions, or includes road maps that can facilitate escape from correctional facilities;
(c) Depicts or describes procedures for the brewing of alcoholic beverages, or the manufacture of drugs or other intoxicants;
(d) Is written in code;
(e) Depicts, describes or encourages activities which may lead to the use of physical violence or group disruption;
(f) Encourages or instructs in the commission of criminal activity;
(g) Is dangerously inflammatory in that it advocates or encourages riot, insurrection, disruption of the institution, violation of department or institution rules, the violation of which would present a serious threat to the security, order or rehabilitative objectives of the institution or the safety of any person;
(h) Threatens physical harm, blackmail or extortion;
(i) Pictorially depicts sexual conduct as defined by s. 847.001, FS, as follows:
1. Actual or simulated sexual intercourse;
2. Sexual bestiality;
3. Masturbation;
4. Sadomasochistic abuse;
5. Actual contact with a person’s unclothed genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or, if such person is a female, breast;
6. Any act or conduct which constitutes sexual battery or simulates that sexual battery is being or will be committed.
(j) Presents nudity or a lewd exhibition of the genitals in such a way as to create the appearance that sexual conduct is imminent, i.e., display of contact or intended contact with genitals, pubic area, buttocks or female breasts orally, digitally or by foreign object, or display of sexual organs in an aroused state.
(k) Contains criminal history, offender registration, or other personal information about another inmate or offender which, in the hands of an inmate, presents a threat to the security, order or rehabilitative objectives of the correctional system or to the safety of any person;
(l) Is not in compliance with incoming mail regulations set forth in subsections (2) and (3) of this rule (incoming mail only);
(m) Contains or appears to contain unknown or unidentifiable substances; or
(n) otherwise presents a threat to the security, order, or rehabilitative objectives of the Correctional System, or to the safety of any person.

(10) No inmate may establish or conduct a business through the mail during his period of incarceration.

(11) When an inmate is prohibited from sending a letter, the letter and a written and signed notice stating one of the authorized reasons for disapproval and indicating the portion or portions of the letter causing disapproval will be given to the inmate.
When an inmate is prohibited from receiving any item of mail, the inmate and the sender will be given notice in writing that the mail has been disapproved stating one of the authorized reasons for disapproval.
The Unauthorized Mail Return Receipt, Form DC2-521, will be placed in the original envelope with the correspondence and returned to the sender.
If contraband is discovered in the mail (other than contraband of an illegal nature), the contraband item and the correspondence will be returned to the sender with the Unauthorized Mail Return Receipt included.
In either case the inmate may file a grievance to be reviewed by an officer or official other than the person disapproving the mail.
Form DC2-521 is hereby incorporated by reference. Copies of the form are available from the Forms Control Administrator, Office of the General Counsel, 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-2500. The effective date of this form is December 4, 2002.

(12) The address of all incoming mail must contain the inmate's committed name, identification number and institutional address.
The return address of all outgoing mail must contain only the inmate's committed name, identification number and institutional name and institutional address.
No prefix other than inmate, Mr., Ms., Miss, or Mrs. nor any suffix other than Jr., Sr. or Roman numeral such as II or III may be included as part of the committed name in the return address.
The institutional name in the return address must be spelled out completely with no abbreviations.
All outgoing routine mail will be stamped "mailed from a state correctional institution" by mail room staff.

(13) When an inmate is transferred or released, routine mail addressed to the inmate at his old institution shall be treated as follows:
(a) For 1 month after the transfer or release, all first-class and second-class mail will be returned to the post office within 10 working days of receipt with a forwarding address, if available, and a request will be made to postal authorities to forward.
All postage due is the responsibility of the inmate and must be paid in accordance with postage regulations.
At the end of the 1-month period, all first-class and second-class routine mail will be returned to the U.S. Postal Service with no attempt to have mail forwarded.

(b) From the date of transfer or release, all routine mail other than firstclass and second-class will be returned to the U.S. Postal Department for its disposition.

(14) No postage or writing materials shall be provided to inmates for routine mail except that postage and writing materials shall be provided to any inmate with insufficient funds for mailing one first class letter weighing one ounce or less each month to be used for mailing one first class letter weighing one ounce or less each month.
Local procedures may be established to require the inmate to request the free postage and writing materials or to establish a specific day of the month for the free letters to be processed.
Inmates shall be permitted to receive U.S. postage stamps in their routine mail so long as the value of the stamps does not exceed the equivalent of 20 (1 oz.) first class stamps.
Inmates may not possess more than the equivalent of 25 (1 oz.) first class stamps.
Due care shall be exercised in processing mail, however, the department shall not be responsible for any postage stamps sent through the mail.

(15) Inmates shall not utilize hand-made packages or envelopes to send out routine mail. Mail enclosed in such materials will be returned to the inmate without processing.

(16) Outgoing packages and envelopes will not bear any artwork, additional lettering or designs other than the required address and return address.

When I get to prison

OK, here's the deal.

When I get to prison, I am going to continue to write these blogs, but unfortunately everything I send out is going to be read, so I am going to have to keep everything I say PG-13, so to speak.

Everything that I'm not able to post from prison, I will post when I get out.

I am hoping it doesn't get to the point where the prison doesn't want me to write blogs at all. I don't think it will come to that and even if it does - my mom will take over until I get out [writing entries about my past crimes and incarcerations].

I hope all of you will continue to read my blogs.

Prisons ban inmates from having pen pal ads

One person wrote to teeninjail@yahoo.com and said that it might not be possible for Ted to blog from prison. The writer said that Florida's Department of Corrections (DOC) might consider it a violation of their rules and referenced the below article by the Associated Press.

The Associated Press
July 29, 2009 Wednesday

Prisons ban inmates from having pen pal ads
BYLINE: By JESSICA GRESKO, Associated Press Writer
DATELINE: MIAMI

In her online profile, Paula Jones says she is 42, "nonjudgmental" and likes fishing, gardening and cuddling. There's a catch, though. Jones' picture shows her in her blue Florida prison uniform. She won't be outuntil at least 2010.

Her listing is posted on a Web site called WriteAPrisoner.com. She's looking for a pen pal.

"If you're looking for someone genuine and true, I'm looking for you," herprofile says. "I'm just a stamp away.

"By posting her profile, however, Jones is breaking a rule. Florida officials have banned inmates from having the Match.com-style listings, saying prisoners just create problems for their outside-the-pen pals.

Other states Missouri, Montana, Indiana and Pennsylvania have similar restrictions. Now lawsuits in Florida and elsewhere say the bans are unfair and violate First Amendment rights.

"The public knows when they're writing to these people that they're prisoners," said Randall Berg Jr., a lawyer representing two pen pal groups including Florida-based WriteAPrisoner.com that have sued in the state. "Nobody is being duped here.

"WriteAPrisoner.com president and owner Adam Lovell says the bulk of the people who use his site to write to inmates are from religious groups, military people stationed overseas and others affected by the prison. Fraud isn't as widespread as Florida corrections officials suggest, he said.

Jones, who is serving time in a women's prison north of Orlando, wrote in a letter to The Associated Press that she's not a danger to potential penpals. She says she wants someone to write to for emotional support and to be less lonely.

"Not everyone has (ulterior) motives, lies or solicits," wrote Jones, who pleaded guilty to cocaine possession with the intent to sell. "Some of us... even if it's very few are truly genuine and hope to meet someone good in our life.

"But the Florida Department of Corrections doesn't want to take any chances. In 2003, the department changed its policy to prohibit inmates from advertising for pen pals or getting mail from pen pal groups. Inmates who continue to advertise can have privileges such as visitation or phone calls revoked.

The department made the change after receiving complaints from people who had been taken advantage of and from victims and their families who saw prisoners' ads, said Department of Corrections spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger.

"We're doing it to protect the public," Plessinger said. "Inmates can have pen pals they just can't solicit for pen pals.

"Other states make similar arguments and have now drawn similar lawsuits.

In Indiana, the American Civil Liberties Union is representing prisoners protesting the state's policy, which also prevents inmates from advertising on Web sites or receiving mail from pen pal organizations.

The ACLU also says it is working on a lawsuit over Missouri's policy and investigating the policy in Montana, where inmates may not receive mail from people who identify themselves as a pen pal.

For now, some Florida inmates are ignoring the ban and listing themselves anyway. The inmates communicate with the sites by sending letters in the mail, and sometimes family members pay the fees for the sites, about $40 a year for WriteAprisoner.com and other sites.

On WriteAprisoner.com, Florida members range from a 41-year-old who tells potential pals she's a 36DD to a 28-year-old who says he has had a "bumpy lifestyle" and is on death row for a crime he didn't commit.

Then there's a man spending life in prison for first-degree murder who has found another way around the ban.

"Please note that the Florida prison system is now locking us up in confinement for placing ads for pen pals," he writes on hisWriteAPrisoner.com page. "So if you respond to this ad please don't mention the profile."

On the Net:Florida Department of Corrections: http://www.dc.state.fl.us
WriteAPrisoner.com: http://writeaprisoner.com/