Letters do not have a tone of voice that lets you know your loved one is indeed alright. They are the ones that have to be strong for the children and need that opportunity to cry or complain to ease their stress and tension. They also need to share the responsibilities of decisions about child rearing with the incarcerated parent. Decisions on whether or not to buy a house or a car need to be shared with the incarcerated partner. Children need to speak with their incarcerated parents to build a relationship.
Letters are an insufficient means to feel the warmth of the relationship.
And they are completely inadequate during a crisis in the relationship as the response time is far too long. To say that prisoners and families should write more denies the number of illiterate men and women in this population the opportunity to communicate. In order to maintain family stability, family members need to speak with their incarcerated loved ones. The Inmate Telephone Services debit calling system was created by the Bureau as a means for prisoners to call home at market rates. The Inmate Telephone Service is used as an incentive for prisoners to participate in programs and employment.