I've written before how, when I was in prison, December was a delightful month as everyone I knew sent me birthday cards and Christmas cards and my cell became an Aladdin's Cave of colour and patterns with literally hundreds of pictures.

Might I suggest, if you want to cheer a very unhappy person up, you track down their address in prison (either from national or local media coverage or from people you know) and send a card - anonymous is fine?

It's a great way to bring a bit of happiness into miserable lives. The tabloid philosophy is, of course, "their victims suffered - make them suffer too".

Which is a perfectly acceptable philosophy if you are that kind of person.

Is there an organisation that can arrange addresses/names etc to make this easier?
Tracking stuff down isn't always so easy,and if you got it wrong then the people you want to help will not get any benefit.
Great idea though.Spreading a little joy can go a long way.

I heartily recommend Inside Time, the prisoners monthly paper that I write for - very good people indeed and if you go to their website you will learn much more - and they are always willing to answer questions.

Google it.

I used to be part of an organisation called Human Writes, and corresponded with a man on Death Row in the States.

I'd consider doing the same again.

Please do David; from experience I can assure you, friendly contact from strangers, no matter how objective, can really help improve lives.

I don't want to get all Christian (I have no religion) but their attitude towards tolerance and kindness is one of the good sides to the morality.

JK, do you know of an organisation I could contact in order to write to prisoners? I got disillusioned with Human Writes.....

I suppose I could google but then you never know who you're dealing with.

I repeat my suggestion from above - google Inside Time.

ok will do.....

very nice sentiments and I would be happy to participate..good of you to bring it to mind.

I just spent a week in hospital and although I told no-one to visit, 2 Catholic church charity workers called by and I had a nice chat to them. They told me how patients with few friends looked forward to them dropping by.

I should imagine prison could become a lonely place.