But being isolated from society can make that reintegration difficult.

Prisoner pen pal programs have, in the past, given prisoners the opportunity to re-engage with the community by connecting with people on the outside.

In Victoria, there has been a ban on prisoners taking part in organised pen pal programs since at least August 2016 – the only jurisdiction in Australia to have such a ban.

Community legal groups have now launched a campaign to overturn this ban.

Bendigo-based ARC Justice executive officer Hayley Mansfield said it was a “cruel and unnecessary” policy that harmed prisoner rehabilitation.

“The ban on pen pal programs ignores the proven benefits to prisoners’ wellbeing and their reintegration into society,” she said.

“Pen pal programs help to break down prisoners’ sense of isolation and estrangement. They provide a bridge between the prison system and wider world. 

“We need to ask ourselves what we want our corrections system to achieve.”

The ban is based on an instruction from the Deputy Commissioner of Corrections Victoria, but it is unclear whether it is in response to a specific incident.

Corrections Victoria maintains that pen pal programs “present a range of risks” for community members, such as being lied to or misled about a prisoner’s past.

The instruction says prisoners can maintain contact with family, friends and relevant professionals, but prison managers are required to assess the appropriateness of individual pen pal connections and they must be approved.

Involvement in organised pen pal programs is banned.

Under the Corrections Act, prison officers have the power to read and censor letters as they enter and leave prisons.

Tyrone Connell, of the Federation of Community Legal Centres, said these powers were sufficient to make sure the community was not at risk, and a ban on pen pal programs was unneccesary.

“We think the current guidelines are pretty unclear, and it’s difficult for prisoners to know when they can write to someone or not, or to seek out someone to write to,” he said.

“It stops them from trying to find pen pals.

“Are websites where prisoners can leave their address details allowed or not? There doesn’t seem to be any guidance in this regard.”

Of particular concern for legal groups were LGBTIQ prisoners, who face greater risk of social isolation in jail.

Quarterly newsletter Inside Out has circulated in Australian prisons since 2016, highlighting specific issues confronting LGBTIQ prisoners and allowing them to liaise with one another through its letters pages.

Convenor Miranda Gibson said the ban on organised pen pal programs increased the feeling of isolation.

“It’s particularly concerning because a lot of people inside request pen pals as a way of getting support and connecting with the community, something that would be difficult otherwise,” she said.

“People often talk about the challenges in prison – particularly homophobia and transphobia, so being in prison can be a very difficult time for LGBTIQ people.

“Pen pals are a really purposeful way to get support.

“If it’s considered on a case-by-case basis, then it becomes inaccessible for people to be able to find a pen pal outside of an organised program.”

Inside Out presents a candid look inside the reality of Australian jails.

Letter writers regularly accept their mistakes of the past and thank one another for sharing their stories, artwork and poetry.

Ms Gibson said they wanted to establish a formal pen pal program for LGBTIQ prisoners, but were hesitant due to the ban in Victorian prisons.

“We don’t want to have to exclude Victorian prisoners,” she said.

Prisoner pen pal programs are not just actively encouraged in the United Kingdom, but the government actually funds them.

Tens of thousands of prisoners take part in the programs. One program operates across 52 prisons in England and Wales.

But Corrections Victoria believed assessing pen pal connections on a case-by-case basis – rather than allowing organised programs – alleviated any risk.

A spokesperson for Corrections Victoria said the safety of the community was at front of mind.

“Corrections Victoria encourages prisoners to correspond with their families and friends via letters and, in certain circumstances, may allow them to have pen pals who are not affiliated with an organised pen pal program,” she said.

“We acknowledge that maintaining communication with people outside of prison can enhance prisoner mental health and rehabilitation. 

“However, communicating with a previously unknown prisoner can present a range of risks for community members. 

“The safety of the community, and the prevention of emotional and other exploitation of vulnerable people, continue to be of paramount importance to Corrections Victoria.”

The spokesperson said while prison staff can read and censor material, the process “will not necessarily detect the nuances of emotional or other forms of exploitation and manipulation that may occur”.