Prison Pen Pals

In 2021, the Boston Chapter initiated a pen pal program with women in the Massachusetts Framingham Prison. It began with a small pilot. Since then pairings between Women's Connection members and incarcerated women have been very successful and grown steadily.

Did You Know?

• US represents 5% of world's population but houses 25% of the world's prisoners. (2014)
• 5% of world's female population lives in the US, but US has nearly 30% of world's incarcerated women.
• Women, many of them mothers, represent the fastest growing segment of the prison population.
• Massachusetts prisons have the 4th highest suicide rate in the nation.
• Prisoners suffer from incredible isolation and loneliness

How Does it Work? 

Once a volunteer is assigned to a pen pal, she follows instructions for getting set up on the separate corrlinks email system

What do our pen pals say?

• Although we have only been communicating for a few weeks, I have found it interesting, meaningful, and educational.  I am still trying to get a sense of what life is like ‘behind the wall’.
•  I continue to be amazed at how naive I am and how much I don’t know about prison life.

What do the incarcerated women say?

• The pen pal program is an answer to prayer for me!
•  Her e-mails have helped me keep my spirits up during these challenging times.
•  I look forward to hearing more and more from her.
•  She has offered to put money into my account, but I have declined her offer for now because the cost of e-mails isn't a problem for me.
•  She reached out to me right away and has been a delight ever since!
•  I just want to thank you for your thoughtfulness and compassion. God bless you!