I was struck by the bluntness of the messages inside: "Honestly, I never knew anyone who was arrested before," one read. Said another: "I know that I have not visited you. But I still care about you. . . . When are you getting out anyway??"

I stood with my daughter, reading them aloud and joking about the comic possibilities they provided: "Sorry about your arrest. I guess the shoot-out wasn't such a good idea." Or, "Too bad I can't hide a file in your cake. Happy Birthday anyway!"

It's easy to poke fun at the notion of Hallmark-like greetings for miscreants. But Terrye Cheathem didn't create Three Squares Greetings: For Those Who Can't Come Home as a joke.

"When I hear somebody laugh at them," Cheathem said, "I know that person hasn't gotten the telephone call, yet, saying their son or brother or nephew has been arrested."

At Three Squares Greetings, we know that it's been impossible to find greeting cards to express difficult, sensitive, and sometimes mixed feelings to loved ones and friends who are "caught up" in the criminal justice system. For all these reasons, we have dedicated ourselves publishing a vast array of greeting cards to encourage and lift the spirits of those who can't come home. Our cards address occasions such as birthdays, holidays, and other events for those who just can’t come home.