Prison Pen Pal Podcast

In this week's episode, we interview Kim Romero, the mother of Nick Romero (a prison inmate and PenPals.Buzz member in Shelton, WA). Nick has been locked up in a solitary confinement cell for over eight months...and won't be getting released anytime soon. His story is all too common. Administrators of jails and prisons around the country will tell you that they're using solitary confinement less and less often for punishment. On the surface, this sounds great. But what they won't tell you is that over 125,000 men and women are currently locked up in isolation and segregation cells, with zero human interaction, no outdoor time, and no opportunity to participate in any of the programs or services the prison offers to the general population inmates. In Washington jails, many inmates are put into solitary confinement cells merely because they have a physical or mental disability, or because the prison needs to fill the bed space. These restrictive lockdowns and the lack of human interaction has been considered "torture" by the United Nations, and many believe it's also a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Physicians worldwide will attest to the physical and mental harm this isolation can cause. As a case in point, just in the state of Washington alone, 176 people have attempted suicide while locked alone in one of these solitary cells. 14 died. Learn Kim and Nick's story and hear how they have been affected by this cruel and unusual (non) punishment.

In this week's episode, Big Steve explores the complete history of pen palling. You'll learn when the phrase "pen pal" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary, and what, exactly, was its original definition. Then, find out about a high-tech penpal matching service that was all the rage at the 1964 World's Fair in New York. Later in the episode, Big Steve will talk about some famous pen pal pairs from throughout history, such as Tony Danza and Tupac Shakur. And what about 100-year-old man and woman who have been writing letters to one another for over 80 years? Finally, the inmate spotlight will focus on a former college professor who has been incarcerated since 1981. If you want to become his pen friend, we'll tell you how.

Big Steve and his wife, Anya, found love on a prison pen pal website. Today they share stories, red flags, and strategies to help other couples succeed during and after incarceration. Learn what to look for in the initial pen pal ad, what red flags to watch for, and when to know to walk away. Hear about what Anya did to keep the relationship fun and exciting. And enjoy a candid conversation, with lots of laughs, between this happily married husband and wife. It's not easy, but the two of them have proven Love After Lockup is, in fact, possible! And it's not always the way it's depicted on reality TV.

St. Peter, Minnesota boasts a plethora of sights: a beautiful arboretum, a Veteran's Memorial, the Paddlefish Brewing Company (with 12 homemade beers on tap) and last but not least, the prison artist known as Alfson. This artist, whose real name is Benjamin Alverson, can't really be considered a prison artist, as he is technically not in prison. He's been held captive in a Civil Commitment Facility (a prison disguised as a mental health hospital to get around due process laws) in St. Peter, for well over a decade. This place is a real dark stain on the community, yet Alfson copes with his captivity with incredible grace and a positive spirit. In this episode, we interview Benjamin Alverson by telephone and dig deep into his life -- his childhood, his upbringing, his family, his spirituality, his love of pets, his hobbies, and of course his artwork. What does he create? How does he create it? What is he allowed (or not allowed to buy)? Is he allowed to sell his pieces? Alfson is a PenPals.Buzz member, and in addition to sharing his artwork with the world, would love to make some new pen pals and friends. So download, stream, press play, whatever you do -- just listen to this episode and learn more about this fascinating man.

In 2011, Will Leverett stabbed 54-year-old Melissa Millan as she jogged alone at night on a trail in Simsbury, Connecticut. The case went unsolved for over four years. Overcome with guilt and shame, Will confessed his crime, first to a good female friend of his, and then to some members of his church. Soon after, they walked with him to the police station, providing moral support as he confessed to the crime. Will, now a member of PenPals.Buzz, hopes to meet an understanding and open-minded pen pal who would be willing to write him letters and emails. He loves animals, the outdoors, and hopes to travel one day, after completing his 35-year sentence.

Later in the episode, we chat with Tennessee inmate Luis Paz. Luis, who has written blogs for PenPals.Buzz, explains why giving real support to an inmate has nothing to do with money. He also talks about ways to make genuine connections with your pen pal. Spoiler alert -- it doesn't involve love letters or romance. He reminds us all to stop sugarcoating, and to give inmates real-life goals and encouragement (not a pity party).