A letter on behalf of Wesley Kaster #190961

Honorable Mike Kehoe Office of Lieutenant Governor State Capitol Building – Room 224 Jefferson City, MO 65101

3 January, 2019

I am the father of 11 children, the grandfather of thirteenand counting, the husband of one wife, a convict (1980s) regardinganti-abortion action which, of course, saves the lives of innocents.

I am writing you about one of your prisoners, one Wesley Kaster (#190961),  and complaining about a policy of the Cole County Jail which prohibits my mailing a simple envelope with a letter inside. The policy, as described on my returned envelope in hand written instruction, is simply “RTS Postcards Only No Stamps.” 

It is burdensome enough to simply write a letter to aprisoner with all the other duties one has. Why must such a simple effort to communicate with and encourage aprisoner be obstructed by such a policy? And why not permit the enclosure of additional reading materials –articles, essays, news-clippings for the reading pleasure of those lockedaway? 

A prisoner’s time in jail and separation is sufficientpunishment.  Impediments to the benefitof communication with friends and relatives seem to be an unnecessaryrestriction.

I hope you will revisit this policy and permit simplecommunication and the sharing of “outside news.”

Respectfully yours,

Michael Bray