Prison pen pals scheme stir up concerns
Prison pen pals is a site designed for lonely inmates
It helps them keep in contact with the outside world and even find love.
Look a little closer and those searching for a soul mate are far from petty criminals.
The newest on top of the 'looking for love list' is Mathew Charles Johnson - the inmate who murdered Carl Williams by bashing him over the head with a metal rod from an exercise bike.
Wearing a pink t shirt and track pants - Johnson’s profile is clear, he's never leaving gaol, but he is looking to make new friends.
“It just staggers me that people would want to take the time to write to a criminal, let alone be a pen pal," Steve Medcraft said.
Roy Burr is also searching for a special someone.
He's serving time for armed robbery offences after instructing his drug affected cousin how to commit a hold up using a PlayStation gun as a weapon.
In particular he's looking for a 'Lovely, genuine, slim, pretty lady and soul mate to correspond with and get to know and eventually meet one day.'
Potential pen pals are warned to steer clear.
"These guys have ulterior motives, they might be nice to you, but can you trust them, " Steve Medcraft told 7News.
The government doesn't have the power to take the website down.
The corrections minister says profiles are likely to be created by friends or family on the outside - adding
"It beggars belief that anyone would want to have this sort of contact with a prisoner, and it is to be condemned."
The Police Association has this advice; In the end people just need to be very weary who they're trying to strike up a relationship with, and understand that these people are in gaol for a good reason, and it's usually something they did to someone else so if you want to get close to them, buyer beware.
The Department of Justice wouldn't speak on camera but assured 7News no prisoners have access to the internet and all mail that passes through their gaols is strictly monitored.
