The Death Row Support Project (DRSP) was conceived by Church of the Brethren members Bob and Rachel Gross in 1978. The combination of Bob's prison experience and Rachel's enjoyment of letter-writing, along with their concern about the reinstatement of the death penalty, provided the necessary ingredients for beginning this ministry. Also critical was the support of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the Church of the Brethren.

In 1978, there were 400 people under sentence of death in the U.S. Now there are over 3300. Needless to say, the little card file that was used at the beginning of the project has long since been outgrown; Rachel is very grateful for the evolution of computer technology.

Initially, the project was publicized within the Church of the Brethren (CoB). But, as is the case with many CoB efforts, DRSP has become an ecumenical and international effort; names of prisoners have been sent to about 4000 people. DRSP has provided an excellent way for those on death row to know that they are not forgotten, and for those outside to learn about the real people and stories behind the issue of the death penalty.

Rachel receives mail daily from prisoners who would like have a "pen pal." Requests from the "outside" world are not keeping up; currently there is a waiting list of about 100 prisoners, in addition to hundreds of others on death row who would appreciate a letter from someone reaching out to them.

Writing to a person on death row is not something which should be entered into lightly. Currently, the average stay of someone on death row is ten years. Writing to that person is a long-term commitment! One of Rachel's disappointments as coordinator of DRSP is that many people write a letter or two to the person in prison, and then decide they're really not interested after all. She encourages those who are interested to prayerfully consider before requesting the name of someone. Rachel is glad for people to ask questions, and she can also try to put you in touch with other people who have been writing, in order to gain a better understanding of what is involved.

Within the Church of the Brethren, some individuals have chosen to be involved with DRSP as a Sunday School class, or as a youth group. This has worked very well, as folks can provide support for each other in writing, and also are able to reach out to the person on death row in a fuller way. At one time, students from Manchester College traveled to the Indiana State Prison bi-monthly in order to visit several men on death row.

Because Rachel works as a volunteer from her home, "office hours" are irregular. But please do call or write if you have additional questions about how you might become involved in writing to someone on death row. If you are ready to request the name of someone, please indicate that. Within a few weeks, you will receive the name and address of someone on death row, along with suggestions for beginning the correspondence.