Sharing From Behind the Walls (GSO Newsletter [Spring 2026])
The newsletter “Sharing From Behind the Walls” (Spring 2026) is published by the Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) General Service Office. It features letters and personal stories from incarcerated A.A. members across various regions, alongside information on A.A. services and literature access within correctional facilities.
Key Themes from Member Letters
Recovery & Hope Behind Bars: Incarcerated members share how finding A.A. meetings, working the Twelve Steps, and reading literature have restored their hope and enabled them to maintain sobriety in prison.
Requests for Pen Pals & Sponsors: Writers express a need for outside guidance, requesting pen pals or sponsors through the Corrections Correspondence Service (CCS) to support their recovery journey.
Starting Groups & Literature Needs: Inmates detail chairing dorm meetings or forming new groups, requesting materials such as the Plain Language Big Book, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, and illustrated pamphlets.
Preparing for Release: Several letters highlight members planning ahead for parole or conditional release by reaching out to local intergroups and building outside support networks.
Services & Resources Mentioned
Digital Tablet Literature: A.A. literature, including newsletters, podcasts, and the Plain Language Big Book, is accessible on prison tablets through vendor partnerships (e.g., Smart Communications).
Contacting the Corrections Desk: Members can contact the A.A. Corrections Desk via GTL/Viapath at corrections@aa.org or by calling (212) 870-3085.
Corrections Correspondence Service (CCS): Connects incarcerated members with at least six months remaining on their sentence to outside A.A. correspondents of the same gender identity.
Prerelease Contact Program: Pairs members who are 3 to 6 months away from release with outside A.A. contacts in their destination community to help ease their transition.