Meet-An-Inmate Review

If you're interested in meeting male or female inmates and establishing a rapport, prison dating sites are for you! Here we'll explain all the pros and cons.
expert
Reviewed by
Fiona Eckersley
Reviewed on
22:55
Editor Rating
Introverts Chat
Membership Base
Profile
Match & Search
Cost & Prices
Safety

Pros and Cons

Free to use and register.
No need to provide personal details.
Most popular inmate dating site in the US.
Criminal profiles can't be relied on to be accurate.
Direct chats or video messages are not possible.
No safety checks or site moderation.

About Meet-An-Inmate

Meet-An-Inmate is owned by Go Daddy and has been around since 1998 as a well-established dating site. Most of the users come from the US, and this pioneering in-mate dating platform has grown impressively since.

Membership Base

Users on Meet-An-Inmate are varied, and there are over 100,000 users. Inmates who register from US prisons are all based on the states, but non-inmates can register from anywhere in the world.
One of the selling points is that if you're interested in making in-mate life a little more bearable and befriend a prison resident, you do not need to register!

Meet-An-Inmate App

Meet-An-Inmate doesn't have a downloadable app, but you can use the website on any mobile. There isn't a lot of point in having an app since inmates cannot use mobiles but can have limited Internet access through supervised PCs.
Most people communicate via letter, which is a traditional and often more personal way to meet friends and establish a relationship than through text chat.

Costs and Prices

Meet-An-Inmate is free to use, and inmates choose to sign up for a paid membership in return for premium benefits. The fee paid is used towards social programs and rehabilitation initiatives in the US prison service.
Term Standard membership Featured membership
One year $35 $70
Two years $50 $90

Meet-An-Inmate Special Features

Free membership includes the address details to send letters, search options to find suitable inmates, and the chance to view ads written by inmates searching for matches.
Inmates benefit from the ability to download photos to their profiles, receiving presents from people outside of prison, and receiving emails if they have permission and access to a computer.

Safety

There are lots of safety features built-in, and you can report any issues to Meet-An-Inmate. Customer support offers a contact form you can fill in to let them know about safety or privacy issues.
You cannot send digital messages or communications. All direct contact is through letter or email occasionally, so there aren't as many safety concerns as many websites.

Personal Account of a Meet-An-Inmate Experience

Meet-An-Inmate is a unique experience and a great way to broaden your horizons and bring value to the relationships of a person who is behind bars.
The site doesn't work as a traditional dating site but is about finding someone with whom you have a rapport and corresponding via pen letter.

Sign up Process

You don't need to create an account or register to use Meet-An-Inmate. It is free to use, and you can go directly to the website and search, list an inmate on their behalf, or verify inmate information.
Inmates need to register and create ads or simply include their information on the site if they are interested in meeting people - they will need to pay the subscription fee.

Profile Creation

There isn’t a private dating profile for a non-prison member - but you're recommended to include a photo in the first letter you send to an inmate.
Inmate profiles or ads include information such as:
  • Profile photo.
  • Prisoner number.
  • Incarceration address.
  • Interests and personality.
  • Occupation before prison.
  • Favorite in-mate activities.
  • An email address if they have one.
  • Earliest release date.
  • Height and age.

Searching and Matchmaking

You'll find a few different dating search options on Meet-An-Inmate; you can browse through featured profiles, look at age categories and genders, or use the search function.
This feature is quite basic and doesn't give any specific parameters to use. Instead, it's a Google search bar, and the results are hit and miss.

Contacting Other Members

Given that Meet-An-Inmate ads are for people behind bars, you're quite limited in the contact methods available.
Most dating pen pals correspond primarily through written letters. It is advisable not to organize an in-person visit or to send any financial details to any inmates you have met online.
Experts Conclusion
Meet-An-Inmate is an exciting dating opportunity to get to know people you'd not have come across in your regular life.
The functionality is basic, and the profiles are limited, but it delivers all the information you need to be able to find an inmate you feel comfortable writing to.

FAQ

All your top questions about Meet-An-Inmate answered!

Is There a Limit on How Many Messages I Can Send on Meet-An-Inmate?

You don't send dating messages as such, as most Meet-An-Inmate inmates can only receive written letters. There is no limit on how many inmates you can communicate with.

How Long Does it Take to Register on Meet-An-Inmate?

Registration doesn't exist for people outside the prison on Meet-An-Inmate - you don't create a dating profile page. Instead, as a non-inmate, you directly access all the dating listings by merely visiting the website.

Is It Safe to Use Meet-An-Inmate?

Yes - you don't provide any personal dating details or upload photos, so using the website is 100% safe. It is advisable to follow safety guidance about the information you disclose to an inmate in your letters.