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Ask a former inmate questions at no charge. The inmate answering has spent considerable time in the federal prison system, state and county jails, and in a prison that was run by the private prison entity CCA.

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Subject: General prison questions-terminology

We do not have a running list of the 2.3 million inmates that are incarcerated in over 10,000 locations. The list changes every day with new people going in and other inmates getting released. The inmate locators are updated in the jurisdiction where they're sentenced. The list of Personal Inmate Pages on our site are "user-generated content". Members like yourself create an Inmate Profile for you to use in assisting them during their sentence. If you would like some help

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Subject: Send inmate mail

When sending books to your husband, you must use his facility address, not your home address. Here is how to do it correctly: Enter your husband’s name and inmate ID number Use the prison’s mailing address as the shipping address Your name and billing address stay tied to your payment method Important rules to follow: Books must come directly from a publisher or retailer like Amazon Do not send books yourself. They will be rejected Choose new books, not used or third-party

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Subject: Send inmate mail

When an inmate is transferred, not everything follows them smoothly. Each category is handled differently: Personal property: Inmates are allowed to pack and transfer their belongings However, items are often lost, delayed, or limited during the move Extra commissary items and clothing do not always make it to the new facility Mail: Mail that is already in transit is usually NOT forwarded It is often returned to the sender You should start using the new facility address immediately

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Subject: Inmate phone calls

At Odom Correctional Institution, it is normal for there to be a delay before your husband can use the phone. What happens after arrival: He must go through intake and orientation Orientation can take place anytime within the first few days up to a few weeks During this time, access to phones may be limited or not available Phone access setup: He needs to submit and get approval for his phone list Once approved, he can

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Subject: Visitation

For Deuel Vocational Institution, you should send your visitation form to the mailing address, not the physical address. Visitation form mailing address: P.O. Box 400 Tracy, CA 95378-0004 Important tips: Make sure your form is fully completed and signed Double-check all required information to avoid delays Processing can take some time, so plan ahead before trying to visit If you want to confirm or speed things up: Call the visitation office at (209) 830-3900 (Friday mornings) Or

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Subject: Halfway house

For what reason are you trying to "locate a halfway house in Sacramento"? You do not have any input in where they designate him

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Subject: Inmate phone calls

At Minnesota Correctional Facility – St. Cloud, what you are experiencing is very common. Even if the area code looks local, the call can still be billed as long distance based on the rate center, not just the area code. That is why your cost only dropped slightly from $7 to $6.45. About your options: 1. Putting money on your phone account: Convenient and controlled Often more expensive per call, especially if billed as long distance

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Subject: General prison questions-terminology

Inmates make outbound calls. It is the responsibility of the inmate to add your number to his list. Depending on where he is incarcerated, you might have to set up a pre-paid calling account with the prison telephone company. If that is the case, you will have to fund this account for your inmate to call you. If you are long distance, the calls will range from $5-15 each; InmateAid has a Discount Telephone service that you can enroll in,

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Subject: Visitation

You do not need to remove sewn-in hair extensions or weaves to visit a correctional facility. Permanently attached hair additions are not something facilities require visitors to remove before entry. What you should be aware of is that corrections officers conducting entry searches have the authority to inspect hair thoroughly, including running their hands through extensions or along the scalp, if they have reason to believe contraband could be concealed. This is not routine for every visitor, but it

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Subject: Visitation

Most facilities require the visitor to have approval prior to the visit - registered with an application and background check with an NCIC scan.  Most facilities do NOT have conjugal visits. Where is your inmate incarcerated - we will find out their rules?

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