I’m a proud prison wife and married my man behind bars – we’re the exception to ‘bad’ matches, tension’s the best part

A PRISON wife has revealed how having a partner behind bars builds the best kind of tension.

Janai Powell, 26, and her hubby Boaz, 27, were childhood sweethearts after getting together aged 14.

But they split up and only reconnected last year despite her former flame being jailed for 17 years on an attempted murder charge.

He's eligible for parole in four months and Janai, who runs a non-profit and record label, can't wait to get him home after being limited to jail visits and phone and video calls so far.

The mum, from Denver, Colorado, said: "We can hug, kiss, hold hands, touch. The only restrictions are the obvious, not too much physical touch or anything too sexual.

"In the State of Colorado we don’t have conjugal visits unfortunately. So he’s been celibate all seven years and me going on two years.

"Being celibate while your spouse is in prison is actually not that hard. Of course you have urges and temptation but I love my husband and it’s worth the wait. I don’t want to share intimate moments with anyone but him.

“I have been cheated on before so I wouldn’t wish that pain on my worst enemy. Being faithful to him while he’s down is honestly rewarding when he comes home.

“I know I’ll be able to have what I want. It gets easier over time. You don’t even think about it to be honest. The anticipation definitely builds, it’s a lot of sexual tension but that’s what makes it better."

The pair got hitched just four months after reconnecting and Janai thinks the fact they knew each other beforehand gave them a head start on married life.

She's been amazed at how much he's added to her life already and can't wait to get him back into the real world.

The businesswoman said: "He’s the best husband and father to my three year old and his eight year old. It’s crazy how a man from prison does more emotionally and mentally than a man that’s not in prison.

“I wouldn’t change anything, just the fact that I’m ready for him to come home. He’s been my knight in shining armour. Most women in this situation can’t say their prison marriage adds value or that they don’t have to pay for anything.

"I can honestly say he adds value, has taught me a lot on how to elevate. “We did get married fast. It was like we left off where we started in high school.

"I prayed prayed and prayed about it and God made it easy for us to marry and connect. This was not a coincidence but definitely God’s plan and destiny. I see that now. I think the fact that we did know each other prior helped."

But Janai also doesn't think becoming a prison wife should be viewed as a trendy thing.

There's a lot of penpal websites and social media attention and she advises people to be careful.

She added: "While I am a prison wife and I do advocate for prison wife lives and inhumane treatment in prisons, I do not recommend women just go hop on the best pen pal site and date a prisoner.

“There are a ton of men also who aren’t wonderful like my spouse and marry women and date women while being incarcerated to use and abuse them.

"I have witnessed that before and it’s sad honestly. Women look for love, and a mental connection while men sometimes who are in prison look for money and someone to take care of them, then come home and leave the woman they used in prison.

“I think the marriages and relationships where the couple was together or married prior to prison works out better than meeting and marrying someone you just met in prison.

“Now there are still a lot of good men out there who are incarcerated that would never do a woman like that and are looking for love and companionship but that’s when I would suggest anyone who is looking for love and it happens to be someone behind bars, pay attention to the signs.

“Dating and marrying someone in prison isn’t a bad thing, those men are humans too and have real lives. Prison doesn’t take that away. Anyone is capable of love. It just is distant love. Honestly prison is a real test of love. If it wasn’t my husband, I probably wouldn’t date someone in prison.

“Mainly because I didn't have trouble finding love in the world I just wanted who I wanted and it just so happens he treats me better than anyone I have had in the world.

"A prison marriage is hard and it takes real real work. Marriage is hard period but then you add a barrier and distance. It's just if the love is there a real couple will survive it."