Active Audience | 60% |
Quality Matches | 91% |
Popular Age | 25-35 |
Profiles | 1 900 000 |
Reply Rate | 92% |
Ease of Use | 8.1 |
Popularity | 9.0 |
Fraud | Very Rarely |
Rating |
8.2
|
Registration | Free |
Meet an Inmate is a pioneer dating platform for criminals and singles outside bars. Its primary mission is helping incarcerated people keep bonds with the real world by socializing with singles from all parts of the United States. The portal exists in the USA market for 21 years and is well-known in inner circles. Its unique feature is that daters can reach each other solely via handwritten letters, but no emails or video chats. Someone would say that Meet an Inmate resembles an offline social network for people behind bars. Most of them do not search for love partners but want to make new friends. Meet an Inmate is more like a socializing platform than a dating site, although no one says that it is impossible to find love there.
Meet an Inmate website is available only in English because its leading audience comes from the USA.
The portal belongs to a leading online dating corporation, GoDaddy.com. LLC. Its first registered owner was Network Solutions LLC. Meet an Inmate exists in the dating market since 1998.
One can see Meet an Inmate’s current address at its website: Winchester, Oregon 97495.
Meet an Inmate is undoubtedly a pioneer dating site for people behind bars. It dates back to 1998 and currently counts almost 100,000 members.
The dominant audience consists of US locals. All inmates who register on the portal serve their sentences in the US-based prisons. As for non-inmates, most of them also live in America, though the site welcomes members from abroad.
Meet an Inmate review verified that the portal has some peculiarities that differentiate it from typical matching platforms.
Daters who get used to surf dating sites and communicate with members through modern technologies: instant messages, virtual gifts, webcam chats, will find it surprising that Meet an Inmate has none of these communicative options. Members can interact in one way: by writing handwritten letters. No wonder that all subscribers relate to pen pals.
User profiles on the Meet an Inmate website differ from what we used to see on other dating niches. First of all, it is because members do not need to pass email verification and all this stuff. Still, it will be unfair to say that profiles are not informative; in their majority, they contain precise information about inmates: their occupation before prison, interests, body type, religion, etc. Plus, there are some unusual criteria like release dates and activities in prison. Each innate profile has a Department of correction number.
Meet an Inmate review clarified that the portal serves primarily for a mates search rather than for matchmaking. Still, members want to get pen pals with similar to their interests and preferences. Meet an Inmate peculiarity is that the site does not apply an in-depth analytical algorithm to connect matches; it is all up to the users.
Some people mistakenly think that no one would like to write letters to strange people behind bars. Meet an Inmate popularity nationwide is vivid proof that many single people see nothing weird in writing to inmates. In their majority, these prisoners are smart and funny people, who also love music, sports, art, and have the same hobbies and interests as the rest of us. The portal is available purely for inmates who serve a sentence inside the US because all communication goes through the US Post Service. Non-inmates are not necessarily US residents.
Meet an Inmate allows users to set up age filters to select partners by this criterion. The platform greets members of all ages: both youngsters and seniors 50+ have all chances to meet a pen pal on the website. There is only one restriction that you should be over 18 to join this inmate community.
As far as Meet an Inmate is an offline matchmaker in the online world, inmates do not need to pass email verification or register via social networks, because they have no access to the computers behind bars. However, some modern prisons allow inmates to use computers for one hour weekly. Due to the lack of moderating options, inmates often download their non-real or stolen photos. The same refers to the information they reveal in their profiles: no one moderates them. Thus, it may be complicated for non-inmates to identify a fake user or a gold-digger from criminals who indeed want to socialize with singles, living in the real world.
The Meet an Inmate review shows that the site has no mobile application. It is not a surprise because no one will allow prisoners to use mobile phones for personal purposes.
Meet an Inmate has no mobile app because the USA judicial system does not allow criminals to have mobile phones in jail. The only way they can communicate with people outside is through handwritten letters. To some extent, it even sounds romantic because modern people are too busy nowadays to write letters to their lovebirds.
Experienced daters may say that the Meet an Inmate website looks a bit dull compared to trendy modern portals. But they forget that the site has a different mission: helping inmates socialize with real people, but not search for sex partners. The entire website is in white; there are no distracting ads because they make no sense for prisoners. A specific feature is that non-inmates do not need to register on the portal; it is solely up to prisoners. The website features a list of male and female profiles, and ordinary people can click on them to see all the data about each inmate, including his/her postal address to send letters. There is also an in-depth FAQ section that explains how to use the site and a window to contact customer support. Non-inmates can access the site via their mobile phones (prisoners cannot do it for an understandable reason).
Meet an Inmate has no app. Ordinary people can use either the desktop or mobile sites, while inmates can register solely on the website because they have no access to mobile phones in jail.
The website is user-friendly with all popular browsers. The quality depends on the speed of your Wi-Fi connection.
Members rarely complain about troubles with entering the site because Meet an Inmate does not require users to enter their usernames, passwords, and pass email verification. The only trouble you might have if your Internet connection is low or if the website currently undergoes maintenance work.
Meet an Inmate has a user-friendly interface due to the following functions: the site does not have multiple advertisements; singles can start searching for inmates without completing registration; the FAQ section contains precise answers to the most popular questions regarding the site services. Another brilliant feature is an introductive part that describes why ordinary people should not be afraid of writing to inmates. In short, most of them are intelligent and smart people who deserve a second chance in life. The website also has a Testimonials section with Meet an Inmate reviews, written by its current and former members.
Registration on Meet an Inmate is a must-to-do step for Inmates, because only registered users can post their ads (profiles) on the platform. Registration is not free for people behind bars, while non-inmates do not need to pay anything. To register on the portal, prisoners need to provide their real names because nicknames do not work for them and an address of a prison where they serve their sentences. Another step is downloading a profile photo (ads without photos are forbidden). Prisoners do not pass any identification by a moderating team; thus, they can write whatever they want in their profiles and even add fake photos. As for non-inmates, there is no need for them to register on the site. They can simply swipe profiles and select the ones they want to write letters.
Users cannot remove other members from the site even when they think they misbehave. Customer support does not accept such claims.
One needs to be at least 18 to sign up on the Meet an Inmate website. The portal is popular among youngsters and people 50+. Users can search for inmates, setting up a specific age range.
Non-inmates can access the site without registration. People behind bars need to register, but they do not need to verify their accounts. The essential requirement for inmates is to give a postal address of prison and their number in the department.
The site members do not need to confirm their emails because the entire communication between inmates and non-inmates occurs via handwritten letters.
There is no option to register on Meet an Inmate via your Facebook account.
If you are a non-inmate, you can access the platform without signing up. Prisoners need to register on the site to post their ads. Registration is not free for them, and all the fees go to different social programs.
Profiles (ads) on Meet an Inmate are surprisingly informative and structural. As a rule, inmates need to provide some standard information about themselves, like age, race, orientation, height/weight. Plus, they give some specific details regarding their sentences: release date, occupation before jail, and activities behind bars. There is also a field to specify whether they can receive emails. Several years ago, this option was not available, but now, a growing number of prisons allow inmates to use computers for a couple of hours weekly.
Inmates can download several photos to their ads, showing their life before prison. Each ad contains a paragraph where prisoners can introduce themselves and describe their goals. They can write how life behind bars changed them and describe their plans after a release. In general, inmates try to make their ads in-detail to attract the attention of ordinary singles.
Inmates can edit their profile photos; they also can add several other photos to their ads.
Meet an Inmate subscribers do not have usernames on the portal. All of them need to write their real names and their number in prison.
Inmates can delete their ads from the website in the account settings. Non-inmates do not need to create profiles on Meet an Inmate.
If inmates accidentally remove their ads from the portal, they can contact customer support.
Inmates can edit (add/remove) the current information in their ads if they have access to the computer in prison.
Inmates who register on the portal cannot search for matches among people from the real world. Search is available solely for non-inmates. Search filters are not pretty diverse on Meet an Inmate and include only age and gender. Once you set up the filters, you will see a gallery with pictures, featuring male or female inmates of a specified age range. You can click on their photos to view their ads. Each ad contains a postal address, where a prisoner serves a sentence.
Members cannot like each other because all communication between inmates and non-inmates occurs in the offline format (via handwritten letters).
The portal does not offer a variety of search options to singles; they can select inmates by two criteria: age and gender. Singles can get additional information about inmates from their ads.
No, the website does not have this option.
Communication on Meet an Inmate website differs from typical online dating niches. The main difference is that members communicate via handwritten letters, but not IMs or video chat. The explanation is simple: incarcerated people simply have no access to computers. However, this tendency changed a little bit during the last few years. An increasing number of US prisons allow inmates to use computers as a bonus for good behavior.
Members also can send gifts to each other. It is a pleasant bonus for both parties because real presents are much better than virtual gifts or winks. Still, the site policy warns to avoid inmates who solicit money from you. Some members meet in person. For example, when people come to visit their pen pals in jail (although, there are very little of them).
The only way to get in touch with other people on Meet an Inmate is by handwritten letters.
Several years ago, this option was not available, but now, members can send emails to inmates who have access to computers, where they serve sentences. They specify this information in their ads.
Inmates need to pay to post their ads on Meet an Inmate if they want to write and receive letters from their pen pals from the real world. Non-inmates can do it for free.
Pen pals can see a postal address of people who write to them on the envelopes. The critical rule is that incarcerated people cannot write to other inmates.
No, pen pals on Meet an Inmate cannot arrange video chats.
There is no option to filter messages or block users on Meet an Inmate, because it is not a typical dating site. You can simply ask a member to stop writing to you or stop responding to his/her letters yourself.
Meet an Inmate review showed that membership on the portal is free only for non-inmates, while people behind bars need to buy a subscription for one or two years to have an opportunity to socialize with singles from the real world.
Non-inmates can use the portal free of charge. They get the following bonuses:
Inmates cannot use the site for free like non-inmates. They need to purchase a subscription for one or two years to socialize with their pen pals. Inmates receive the following bonuses:
|
Standard |
Featured |
One-year membership |
$35 |
$70 |
Two-year membership |
$50 |
$90 |
Featured membership means that your ad will appear on top of the photo gallery. All the fees go to support different social programs. Meet an Inmate does not have a refund option or a money-back guarantee.
Inmates need to purchase a paid membership if they want to communicate with people outside bars. They can buy either standard or featured membership for one or two years.
There is no option to cancel your membership on Meet an Inmate before the expiry date or to get a refund from the portal.
No, there is no auto-renewal on the Meet an Inmate website. Prisoners need to buy a new set of services after their current one expires.
Meet an Inmate website does not make a refund for unused time. You can contact customer support, but it is unlikely that they will make an exception.
Inmates need to pay a full sum for the site services at once. The cost depends on a particular set of services they select.
The portal does not offer a money-back guarantee if members fail to meet pen pals on the site.
Inmates need to pay to post their ads on the Meet an Inmate website. All the fees from these payments go to different scholarships and social programs.
Non-inmates can pay for their pen pals behind bars. To make it happen, they need to fill in an application form on the site.
Non-inmates can pay for inmates’ ads (full sum at once) by filling in an application form.
When people outside bars decide to make new pen pals on Meet an Inmate, they want to know how safe it is to give their postal address to prisoners. The Meet an Inmate review will shed some light on this disturbing question.
Meet an Inmate is not a typical dating portal because it connects ordinary people with people behind bars. Thus, many non-inmates want to know who stands for their privacy on the portal. The answer is non-inmates themselves. Prisoners do not pass email verification or any other identification when they register on the platform. That is why some of them can provide false information in their ads and post non-real photos. To protect their privacy on the portal, non-inmate members need to follow several basic rules. The first is keeping your financial data private. Second, avoid meeting incarcerated people in person before you can trust each other.
Meet an Inmate does not have chat encryption because its members communicate solely via handwritten messages.
They do not do that because all communication between inmates and non-inmates occurs offline.
Police do not need to trace your activity on Meet an Inmate because its members connect via handwritten messages.
If you have concerns about your privacy and safety on Meet an Inmate, you can contact customer support by filling in a form on the website.
Meet an Inmate policy states that the portal is safe for use and that ordinary people should not worry about their safety when searching for pen pals among people behind bars. If you follow standard safety rules and recommendations (like never passing your financial data to other people), you have nothing to worry about. Besides, the review showed that most of the inmates who post their ads on the site are kind, intelligent, and smart people who search for pen pals.
The portal does not monitor forum threads because subscribers communicate offline.
As a rule, customer support does not react to such claims. They leave it up to the users to decide whether to give or not to give money to their pen pals behind bars.
Unlike other dating niches, Meet an Inmate does not ban user accounts. Even if a non-inmate asks the site administration to delete some ads from the portal, they will not do it. They can only make an exception if you are a person who paid for this ad.
As far as the site does not ban accounts, the only explanation why you cannot access the portal is a trouble with your Internet connection or if the site is currently out of service for technical reasons.
The site does not ban user accounts. They can make an exception if a person who paid for an ad will address them directly and asks to remove a profile.
If the site administration deleted your ad from the gallery, you could write to them to the address indicated on the Meet an Inmate website.
The best way to protect yourself while interacting with incarcerated people is to keep a certain distance at the beginning of your communication. It is vital not to pass your credit card details if some of the inmates solicit money from you. On the other hand, the Meet an Inmate review showed that a leading segment of prisoners who register on the portal do not have hidden motifs; they simply want to socialize with other people outside bars.
You can contact customer support if you want to report a suspicious user, but please note that they remove ads from the site solely in exceptional cases.
Inmates cannot post any information aimed to solicit money from ordinary members.
Customer support on Meet an Inmate is available via a form that you need to fill in on the website. There is no instant chat with a help center; you can either receive an answer by email or write to them directly to their postal address indicated on the site. Non-inmates can report misbehavior or ask the site administration to delete a particular ad from the gallery, but Meet an Inmate rarely does that not to violate the rights of males and females behind bars.
Meet an Inmate has its advantages and disadvantages, like all other matchmaking portals. Still, it is hard to deny that this website has many unique features that make it popular among the American community.
During its 21-year existence in the dating industry, Meet an Inmate became one of the leading dating portals for American prisoners. Its current audience counts almost 100,000 people and reaches 7,000 new visitors daily.
Meet an Inmate website is not a hookup portal; inmates who register on the site search for communication with other people, but not for casual hookups.
The portal is 100% for non-inmates, while prisoners need to purchase a membership for one or two years to access the site.
The website aims to help incarcerated people find pen pals in the real world not to lose a connection with society. Members communicate via handwritten messages. Some of them can send emails if inmates have access to computers in prison.
Inmates who register on the site are real people with real-life stories. However, the main disadvantage of the portal is that moderators do not check their ads before posting them on Meet an Inmate. Thus, some members can provide false information about their release date or add fake photos.
Meet an Inmate is not the only dating site for people behind bars. Its most popular alternatives and competitors are:
Company: Meet an Inmate
Address: Arlen Bischke Box 845 Winchester, Oregon 97495
Phone: 480-624-2505
E-Mail: [email protected]
Meet an Inmate works to help temporarily incarcerated males and females not lose a connection with the real world by socializing with other people. When inmates register on the platform, they search for pen pals who will not treat them as second-class citizens. Usually, members come to the site not to find love. Most of them want to make friends, and Meet an Inmate is a perfect background for it.
Hana Wilson has been working as a psychotherapist for more than six years now. With so many years of experience, Hana Wilson developed the capability to look into a situation with a broader outlook while helping her clients reach their goals. Hana Wilson is familiar with different types of situations and believes that a bit of advice from an outsider may be the key to moving ahead. Hana Wilson completed her Psychology undergrad and got a Master's in Family Psychotherapy.
Education
RH Certified Relationship Expert
Expertise
Dating, Relationships.