The letter I wrote to George's wife in Tutwiler was returned today. It is stamped "Unauthorized" and then below the stamp someone wrote "Penpal". I feel so discouraged. I really hoped she would be able to answer so many questions I have. Now I am afraid that I have gotten her in trouble by sending her the letter. I don't know if Tutwiler does not allow penpal type letters, or maybe no letters from someone not on her list. Most likely it is because I wrote in the letter about my situation, that I have committed a crime and am facing possible incarceration there. That was probably a stupid thing to do. I hope so much that I haven't gotten her in trouble.

Carol

That doesn't make any sense at all to me, Carol. I've never heard of any Alabama prisoners not being able to receive mail from pretty much anyone. I have never ever heard of anyone ever writing anything about "penpals" on a return envelope in Alabama.

There's absolutely no rule about Alabama prisoners only being able to receive mail from people on their list, that's for sure. I am totally confused about what happened with yours.

The only thing I am wondering is if it because you wrote that you were possibly going to be incarcerated, because there is a rule against inmates writing other inmates... but since you are not yet and may not be one, then your letter should have been fine.

Maybe George or Danielle will have some insight but that just doesn't make any sense at all to me. I do know there's probably some way we can get around this problem and get your letter to her, though...

It doesn't make any sense at all to me. I did have one letter returned that I'd sent to a friend of my husband's that had addresses for penpal sites, and it was also stamped "pen pal" and returned. Did you include any information about pen pals or pen pal sites?

I'd suggest try again, maybe? It's a 37 cent stamp - just tell her you're a friend of George's and go from there.

I'm litterally floored and at a loss! :(

Yeah, sometimes you have to talk in "code", sorta... another alternative might be you could send it to one of us or to George, maybe, and we could stick it in the middle of a letter to her and maybe they won't notice. They must be examining the Tutwiler mail pretty close these days (probably 'cos of all the publicity over the transfers)... but a lot of times I think they only glance thru the beginning and end of a letter when they do that...

I'd be happy to write her a letter and take yours and re-type it into mine... I'm pretty good at the code and coverup game, LOL... :D

Lys, the Prison Mailroom Scourge :)

I too have never heard of this. I have been dealing with ALabama prisons for ten years now. I did have a letter that I guess is still sitting on the wardens desk that Michael could not receive due to "Contraband" go figure. I had copied the monthly DOC report from the Alabama DOC website. I guess they didn't want the men to know all the true facts about alabama salvery being alive and well in our state. I also had a big valentine card sent back to me before claimed it was contraband, but yet other inmates received the same thing, They are so wishy washy here in alabama. The best one yet was when I sent 2 christmas boxes from my house to Holman and they returned them claiming I wasn't on his list... I never did get those to boxes back here at the house. You can believe a guard had a nice christmas on us.

vicki

I sent George a PM about this, and he replied that he had forgotten that she can't get any mail except from people on her list. It must be a rule at Tutwiler. I think it is ridiculous, and if the men's prisons can get mail from anyone, why not the women?? Anyway, he says I can mail it to him and he will send it in with a letter from him. Maybe I need to ask him to just list my questions in his handwriting rather than putting my actual letter in with his. I just really don't understand this. And btw, I didn't put anything in my letter about penpals, so I don't know why they wrote that on the envelope.

Carol