Pens in Prison

[ericthered2004]

The novelist John Banville said once that prison always seemed to him a good place to get writing done. Anyone know if you are allowed to use fountain pens in prison in, say, the US and UK, or elsewhere?

 

Cheers,

Eric

[sbullock]

as far as ive seen on tv, youre lucky if theyll lend you a ballpoint with supervision in the US

[kiavonne]

as far as ive seen on tv, youre lucky if theyll lend you a ballpoint with supervision in the US

 

 

If it was just a cartridge pen - maybe. Without pen clips, metal findings, or anything that could be ground into any kind of weapon. You don't need that nib, do you?

 

Edit: as an afterthought, though, a lot of people in prison go about getting school and professional degrees. This would have to mean note taking somewhere. If one isn't deemed a threat, maybe a pen would be allowed.

 

I hope, though, that you aren't planning to test this theory personally from the inside.

Edited January 27, 2008 by kiavonne

[Jimmy James]

When I go visit clients in jail, they don't really care what type of pen I use. Then again, there is a 3 foot wide counter and wrought iron looking grille between the prisoners and me. I'm also on the side of the room that leads to the outside.

 

I haven't gotten to go to prison yet. I'm guessing they might have a few more regulations.

 

I know the question was more about the inmates. To that, I can attest that I get letters from both jail and prison. They appear to be written in black ballpoint or in pencil, depending on the letter.

[finalidid]

This conversation immediately brings to mind Paul Pennyfeather's ordeal near to the end of "Decline and Fall" by Evelyn Waugh ...

 

[Sharkle]

 

I was just wondering this same thing about a month ago. That would suck BADLY to have to go to jail for years, have ample time to write, and not be able to use a single decent pen. You think if ballpoint is allowed, a visitor could bring a prisoner a decent rollerball or gel or something? I guess the gel or a rollerball that looked like a ballpoint might be allowed; I was thinking, though, that writing instruments for inmates probably have to be issued.

 

 

[girlieg33k]

Anyone know if you are allowed to use fountain pens in prison in, say, the US and UK, or elsewhere?

As an inmate or lawyer? I don't know how it works in other countries, or other states in the US for that matter. Generally, inmates are required to buy all their "supplies" from the prison system -- and I highly doubt that the prison system would offer fountain pens (at least in the US). Lawyers visiting clients are also searched and have to go through a metal detector -- especially in correctional facilities where you have actual contact with the client.

[Noh]

If you really want a fountain pen in prison you can get one. Compared to a lot of the things that get smuggled into prisons-- not the least of which being cellphones and chargers--a pen, especially one that comes apart the way most C/C pens do, would be no problem.

 

I've never been to prison, mind you, and don't have any plans on going if I have any say in the matter, but really (and this is what I've been told by people who have been there) you can get quite a lot more things than you might imagine - one way or another. It would also depend on your security level, I think. It stands to reason you'd be allowed a lot more things like fountain pens at a minimum security prison than you would at a super-max facility.

[Bluetiger]

Apparently in the UK (according to my husband who is a Custody Officer) prisoners are not allowed pens of any description in the cells. If they want to write something they are offered a stubby pencil.

 

He can't comment on what happens in prisons themselves but he says he often sees them with plastic biro's when writing legal stuff but they would more than likely have been issued for the purpose.

 

 

[pilgrim]

do not know about others, but rotring 600 is strictly forbidden

[LegalLefty]

The regulations vary among the facilities I've visited to see clients. Some places, the rules permit only ball point pens with clear plastic barrels. Other places allow only a "safety pen" which is a flimsy ball point insert with no barrel at all, about 3.5 inches in length. I have never had my fountain pens lifted from me at security checkpoints, but some of the checkpoints only require that I demonstrate that I am a lawyer and then I'm not searched or screened at all. At maximum security facilities, the checkpoint is like boarding an airplane. Still, I've been allowed to take any pen in that I wanted.

[MYU]

I would think a Parker 51 is ideal for a prison inmate, as there's no overtly large metal nib to it. Certainly it doesn't look intimidating. But I have to expect that no pointed objects are allowed to remain with inmates as a regular possession. They are allowed to write letters, so I suspect it's in a controlled environment where they must return the ballpoint pen when they are done.

 

Still... if one could strike a "deal", maybe an inmate could get a "special pen" kept in the writing bin, like a Parker 51, and they'd be allowed to use it. But then there's the matter of ink...

 

I have to imagine inmates are allowed "computer time"... set up a GMail account and write to your heart's content with everything stored on your private Internet e-mail account.

 

 

[finalidid]

Now I feel even sadder for the wrongfully convicted.

 

I think in "low security" prisons people are allowed all sorts of amenities. It's in the "maximum security" and "dangerous offender" wards where tough regulations are in place. If I am ever found guilty of a crime -- and really, there are times, like today after my trip to the Post Office, grr ... -- I'll be sure to negotiate an easy conviction and full allocution in exchange for access to Clairefontaine's, Watermans inks, and P51s.

 

Actually, it's sounding quite nice round 'bout now ...

 

[ANM]

I wonder what kind of pen Hitler used in prison when he wrote Mien Kamph?

 

 

[macaddicted]

I own a shop that sells uniforms and gear to law enforcement. Many of my customers are from the largest prison facility in Los Angeles County (Pitchess Detention/North County Correctional Facility (NCCF)). I cannot imagine that the deputies would give anyone at the maximum security NCCF any sort of pen unsupervised, and I would doubt it for the lower security facilities (East & North).

 

I'll try to ask a custody deputy if I get a chance and report back.

[tunnel]

The Parker firm opened a prison branch in the Republic of South Africa in 1949.

[OCArt]

12 minutes ago, tunnel said:

The Parker firm opened a prison branch in the Republic of South Africa in 1949.

Was this to manufacture or sell?

[tunnel]

14 hours ago, OCArt said:

Bu üretmek mi yoksa satmak için miydi?

Definitely to sell.

[dipper]

A video about mathematics in prison. Hard to imagine doing advanced mathematics without a pen, but no pen problems are mentioned.

 

Christopher Havens speaks about doing Suduko puzzles and filling-out mathematics exercises when "in the hole", within a US maximum security prison, so he must have had permitted access to some writing instrument in even those extreme conditions.

Later in the video conversation he talks about problems obtaining certain books in prison, but again no mention of pen or paper difficulties.

[Runnin_Ute]

My brother spent some time in the Utah State Prison system. He will have been out for two years in July. I only received a few letters from him in the three plus years he was inside but without looking I believe they were all written in pencil.