How to write to someone in prison in Singapore

There are two ways to write, and both go through the prison authority. Whichever you use, the prison decides whether and when your letter is passed on.

• SPS e-Letters: an online service on the official SPS website for writing to a person in SPS custody. The SPS e-Letters page explains who can use it, how to sign up or log in, and the current limits.
• Letters on paper: SPS's resources for families explain how families can keep in touch, including written mail. Follow the official instructions for the address and anything you plan to include, because items that do not meet the rules may not be passed on.

If you are not sure which route suits you, start with the SPS e-Letters page. It is the official, up-to-date description of the online service, and it links to the related SPS pages.

A little preparation saves time and avoids letters being held back for missing details.

• Your loved one's details as the prison has them. Their full name as it appears in official records, and any reference number you were given, are a good start. The official page lists exactly what is required.
• Your own details. Using e-Letters means identifying yourself to the service; the SPS page explains how to sign up or log in.
• Time. Every letter is checked before it is passed on, so it is better to write early for birthdays and other dates that matter.
• Something to say. It does not need to be long. A few honest lines about home can mean a great deal.

Prison mail is reviewed before it reaches the person it is written to. The review takes time, and the time can vary, so a letter may not arrive on the day you send it. SPS publishes current information about processing on its e-Letters page.

How your loved one can reply, and how you will find out that a reply has arrived, is also explained by SPS. If a reply matters to you, check regularly, so it does not sit unread.

If a letter does not seem to have arrived, contact SPS through the channels listed on its official pages. Only the prison can say what happened to a particular letter.

SPS decides what may be passed on, and its pages set out what is not allowed. Read them before you write. Letters that break the rules may be held back.

Within the rules, ordinary life is often the best material. Small, everyday news is what makes a letter feel like home:

• How the family is doing: children's school, a new job, a meal you cooked, a trip to the market.
• Things to look forward to, without promises you cannot keep.
• News, sport or a story you read, so they have something new to think about.
• Questions they can answer in their reply, which keeps the conversation going.

• Write regularly. A short letter that arrives often can mean more than a long one that arrives rarely.
• Keep it simple and clear. Short paragraphs are easier to read, especially if the letter is printed or read in a second language.
• Put the date at the top, so your loved one can follow the order of your letters.
• Be warm and honest, and do not hide everything that is hard. At the same time, avoid sharing worries they can do nothing about from inside.
• Keep a copy, so you remember what you have already said.