The Jeff Probst Show

In 1976, three men in Chowchilla, California abducted 26 school children and their bus driver and forced them into a moving van that had been buried in a nearby quarry. After 16 hours underground, all 27 people successfully escaped and the three kidnappers were caught, convicted, and sent to prison.

One of those kidnappers, Richard Schoenfeld, was released on parole earlier this year, and another kidnapper, Frederick Woods, is up for parole soon. On today's show, Jodi and Lynda, two of the survivors, told their harrowing story, and shared how to help keep Woods and James Schoenfeld, the third kidnapper, behind bars: by writing a letter to the parole board expressing that you think these men shouldn't be freed. 

Here are some things to remember when writing your letter. You'll need to include the inmates' names and CDC (California Department of Corrections) numbers. Fred Woods' number is B90399, and James Schoenfeld's is B90400.

Be sure to also include this note on the letter: "Please place this in the inmate's central file." And while your return address can be on the envelope, there's no need to put your address or contact info on the letter itself. Lastly, letters can be sent to: