Coming to a Federal Pen Near You--Inmate Email . . .
Letters from federal prisoners going electronic
Inmates now have inboxes at more than 20 federal facilities across U.S.

AP updated 2:13 p.m. CT, Sun., Aug. 17, 2008

MIAMI - When Melvin Garcia was sent to prison almost a decade ago for racketeering, he had never used a computer. Now he sends 50 e-mails a month from a federal prison in West Virginia, punctuating notes with emoticons.

Garcia, 38, is among thousands of prisoners at more than 20 federal facilities where inmates now have inboxes. By the spring of 2011, all 114 U.S. prisons are expected to have e-mail available for inmates.

MSNBC story

[This message was edited by JohnR on 08-17-08 at .]