Active Audience | 75% |
Quality Matches | 65% |
Popular Age | 27-35 |
Profiles | 260 000 |
Reply Rate | 95% |
Ease of Use | 6.8 |
Popularity | 7.1 |
Fraud | Very Rarely |
Rating |
7.5
|
Registration | Free |
According to Meet-An-Inmate, it’s ranked at the top when it comes to traffic among similar sites and is always number one on the Internet’s popular search engines. Alexa.com can confirm this and says the website gets more traffic than its competitors. So, this site is one of the most popular inmate dating sites!
It’s a platform set up for convicted inmates who pay to have a personal ad or webpage. This site will give them the chance to attract pen pals from all over the world who visit the website. However, all inmates and visitors alike are encouraged to seek friendship rather than romance.
Meet-An-Inmate maintains that their service isn’t for dating, but they can’t deny that it also makes it possible and accessible for romantic interaction. Although it exists to help inmates get pen pals from outside the prison walls, it also provides a means for them to find their soulmate.
You can see from the testimonials that it goes beyond the pen pal service, and some lucky people even found the man or woman of their dreams. After all, it’s not unheard of for the pen pals to fall head over heels for one another.
Prisoners can apply and pay for a subscription plan to have their profiles/ads appear on Meet-An-Inmate for at least a year. Visitors can then view their pictures, their mailing address where they can receive letters, and maybe become pen pals.
It’s up to a prisoner if they want to respond to those letters or not, and they usually do. Once communication is established, it’s up to the pen pals where they take their new friendship.
The trick is in taking due caution when dealing with inmates. Visitors shouldn’t give out their real names and must have a P.O. Box ready. Communication is only possible through snail mail. You can send them a photo of yourself so that they’ll also have an idea of what you look like.
Sometimes, an inmate is allowed to have email access to secure messaging services or receive a telephone call. If you can call them, they’re usually allowed a 10-15-minute call. Understandably, there’s nothing much else both of you can do other than to respond to each other’s letters.
A person can also visit the prisoner by going to the facility once they’ve developed a more profound relationship. They can’t go out on a date until the inmate gets out of prison. That’s why you have to keep in mind their release date before you advance your relationship further.
How long are you willing to wait? Are you ready to endure up to 5 years or more of waiting? If not, then you could opt for inmates with shorter prison terms. Not all of the prisoners are in for murder, armed robbery, or any other serious crimes.
Some have been involved in accidental felonies and have shorter sentences. However, those sentenced for only six months or less can’t apply for this service.
Registration on Meet-An-Inmate is different because it’s a family member or friend of an inmate who usually applies and pays for an ad on his or her behalf.
For visitors to the site, searching for inmates to exchange letters with, is entirely free. There’s no limit to how many prisoners a visitor can write to on the site. The only requirement for people wishing to be a pen pal is that they must be at least 18 years old.
For those helping an inmate get an account, click on the “List an Inmate” option on the top menu will take you to the site’s Application/Renewal page. After selecting the correct gender, you’ll need to fill out the application form of an inmate who wants to avail. You fill in the first and last names, age, and select a payment option.
You need to provide the inmate’s birthday, DOC (Department of Corrections) number, and the exact mailing address, city, state, and zip code. You can upload up to two photos initially, which is essential because there’s a feeble response to profiles without any.
Things such as race, religion, height, education, quickest release date, and the latest release date are also important. You’ll need to indicate if the inmate prefers to receive mail from females, males, or both. There is also a field where you can enter an approved email address, and you can indicate if the person is allowed to respond to emails.
There are also fields for entering the occupation before prison and the activities the inmate does inside the facility. Space is provided where one can enter a brief description of the person, not longer than 250 words. Finally, you’re redirected to the site’s PayPal to pay for the ad, which will appear online within 48 hours.
The website’s design is pretty basic, but very easy to navigate. Everything is straightforward, and nothing is too complicated or confusing. The homepage explains what the site is all about. Below the main banner, there’s a horizontal menu with options for “Lady Inmates,” “Male Inmates,” “List an Inmate,” “FAQ,” “Search,” and “Verify Inmate Information.”
Searching is somewhat rudimentary. You can enter the sex, state, hair color, to come up with a list of prospects that you may want to communicate with. The results aren’t accurate, particularly with their ages. It requires a lot more patience to find candidates that meet your criteria.
The inmates are divided into males and females, and picking the gender you prefer will take you to the right page. For further convenience, the inmates are also grouped by age on the left side of the page. Clicking on the age link will show a gallery of prospects along with their thumbnail photos.
Selecting one will take you to a profile page where you’ll see more relevant info about that inmate. Remember, that it wasn’t the inmate who provided all of the info. You can use the “Verify Inmate Information” option on the top menu to ensure the accuracy of the data.
The most important things to look out for are the crimes they committed, their ages, and their release dates. If you’re satisfied with everything and want to begin sending the person snail mail, you’ll have to jot down their mailing address.
An inmate’s chances of enticing site visitors to view their webpage depend on the quality of the profile picture. It’s the photo that appears on the thumbnail results that gives people their first impression of a prospect.
Naturally, the person would want to make sure all their photos – particularly their profile pic – show them in a good light. They have to look friendly, real, and, above all, trustworthy. The more hits their webpage gets, the better their chances to become friends with someone they like.
What kind of body language do the images project? The facial expression should also be carefully considered. Admittedly, these individual webpages or ads are as dull as they come, and the owner has to make the most of it. They aren’t comparable to more sophisticated profiles from legit online dating sites.
Nevertheless, there are many good-looking prisoners on the roster, but visitors should be wary when picking a member who they think is worthy of their affections. Looks can be deceiving, but having a good quality picture is the first step in attracting more attention.
It’s also vital to write a pleasant introduction. It’s the only tool apart from attractive photos that the inmates have at their disposal to convince those who visit their webpages to give them a shot. People who are warm, upbeat, fun-loving, and are full of positivity despite their circumstances tend to be more successful in gaining contacts.
Maybe they have common interests, passions, or hobbies. Many of these visitors have preconceived notions and fears, and it’s up to the prisoner to erase any doubts and put their minds at ease.
Sadly, there isn’t any mobile app. Inmates can’t possess a mobile device like a smartphone, nor are they allowed access to the Internet. Anyone outside can still visit the Meet-An-Inmate website via any IOS or Android device the same way when using a PC.
You get the same functionality as the desktop version, but the downside is the size of the profile picture thumbnails. They’re too small on a smartphone. It’s practically impossible to know how people look or if they’re your type until you select one and view the larger images on their profiles.
That can get tedious fast. You’re better off using a desktop PC or laptop when going through the thumbnail pics to see their appearance at a glance. The only advantage of using your phone is accessing the site from any place where there’s a signal.
As an added precaution, Meet-An-Inmate has stopped accepting applications from convicted sex criminals.
It also reserves the right to reject, delete, or edit the wording of any ad. The site wants to keep everything clean, and that’s why no adult content or any profanity is permitted. The same goes for false information.
Common problems encountered by the site are fake or old pictures, and inmates who understate their age or shorten their release date. That’s why the website cautions people about these problems before sending letters to any of the inmates.
Because of the nature of the membership, visitors should always be wary of being scammed. It doesn’t mean that they can’t find anyone in jail who’s trustworthy. Many of these inmates genuinely want a new lease on life.
Still, some prisoners would lie to extort money out of their pen pals. Despite this, many people are always willing to help inmates buy stationeries, stamps, and little luxuries like deodorants, shampoos, or a new pair of shoes. Such small things go a long way in helping improve their life behind bars.
The site also has a verification feature that takes you to its Free Inmate Locator. First, you’ll need to jot down the inmate’s first and last name, state, and DoC number. Selecting the appropriate state from the 42 listed will take you to its official website where you can enter the info and verify the person’s age, crime, and release date.
We highly recommend that you take advantage of this valuable feature before writing letters to any of them. Users are also advised not to reveal their real names and use a post office box instead of their home address.
For visitors looking for a pen pal or even a potential partner, the site is entirely free. All the profiles and ads that you see are paid for by the inmates, or by their friends or relatives. Any of their loved ones apply for the service and pay for it.
They can request the site for an application through an email, and it will return an attached application form on the return email. The papers can also be mailed directly to them or the inmate. There are easy to follow instructions on the site’s application and renewal page.
Inmates can have up to two recent photos on their page. Any additional photo would cost five dollars. A representative would have to notify the site via email of any other images they want to add when the inmate’s webpage is already up and running.
The subscription plans offered are the same for both female and male inmates. You can pay from as little as $35 and up to $90 for a one-year or two-year standard or featured ad.
There’s also a special offer for females that allows their ads to be on both Meet-An-Inmate.com and Jailbabes.com. Jailbabes is solely for female ads. The rates are $60 and $90 for a one-year ad, with the former for standard and the latter for a featured one.
If you’ve become close friends with one of them, you can pay for the renewal of that person’s web page to continue your communications. Keep in mind, however, that there won’t be any refunds once you place the ads. You can pay the website via PayPal.
You can go to the Contact Us page to submit any questions, suggestions, or complaints. You can also email them directly at [email protected]. People can also reach them via postal mail and send it to the following address:
Meet-An-Inmate
Arlen Bischke
P.O. Box 845
Winchester, Oregon 97495
Here some answers to most frequent questions about the service.
You need to proceed with extreme caution and have commonsense when dealing with prisoners. The website rejects the applications of confirmed sex offenders, and they have a Free Inmate Locator where a user can verify the age, offense, and release date of an inmate.
Meet-An-Inmate is more of a pen pal platform, and it encourages visitors to find pen pals rather than romance. However, many of the inmates are open to having a more meaningful relationship, and there are opportunities for someone outside to find a lifelong partner among them.
Inmates all across the U.S. are allowed to apply for and purchase ads that will appear on the Meet-An-Inmate website. Many users in search of pen pals or potential partners visit the site. After gaining access to an inmate’s contact information, visitors can start sending the person letters via the US Postal Service.
Any user can get free and full access to the inmates’ profiles by merely visiting the site. With the help of their loved ones, the prisoners can pay for the privilege of posting personal ads on the platform. If you somehow managed to find a meaningful friendship or relationship with any of them, you might want to help this person pay for renewing his or her ad.
Although promoted as a pen pal site, almost all of the testimonials describe a successful romantic relationship. Most of it would depend on your communication with an inmate and how it develops. There are many opportunities for romance since many of the inmates are also looking for love.
The prospect of finding a life-long partner from a correctional facility may be intimidating at the beginning. Nevertheless, many have found love after having a prisoner pen pal. You have to be patient and understanding of the situation, but at the same time, be wary so that you won’t be taken for a ride.
Many inmates want a fresh start when they return to their regular lives. Who knows? You could be one of the lucky ones to share a better tomorrow with an inmate.