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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: Parole, probation & supervised release

Parole approval is not the same as release, and the gap between the two can be frustratingly long. Two weeks is not unusual at all, and in some cases, the process stretches into months. The most common reason for the delay is housing. Before the parole board will authorize an actual release date, the approved housing situation must be confirmed and accepted by the parole office. The address she listed has to be verified, the parole officer has to

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Subject: Prison discipline

Yes and No. The use of the phone is a privilege and my be taken away for a number of reasons. Mail is considered to be sacred and they NEVER take away the inmate's ability to receive or send mail, even if they are subjected to the SHU for disciplinary reasons. Inmates may not correspond with other inmates unless they are related and have received permission from the warden. The only time mail is restricted is if the inmate is

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Subject: Money transfer

All inmates have a trust account where funds may be deposited from their job wages within the institution. It is also where friends and family may add funds as well. All inmates may make purchases from the commissary once a week, even those in the SHU. If the inmate's status is in adminstrative or disciplinary segregation, the commissary shopping list is abbreviated.

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Subject: Send inmate mail

$1.49 for a letter and $0.99 for a postcard

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Subject: Release questions

No, it does not mean he can bond out on that date. An earliest release date set by the Department of Corrections means the system has calculated the minimum point at which he becomes eligible for release based on his sentence. It is the floor, not a guarantee, and it has nothing to do with bail or bonding out. What most likely happened is that the parole hold was resolved and he was sentenced on whatever he was picked

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Subject: Relationship issues

no, conjugal visits are very rare. there are only a few places in the country that still allow it.

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Subject: Visitation

County jail visits are fairly standardized across the country. Expect short visit windows, typically 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the facility's schedule, and in most cases, no physical contact. The majority of county jails use non-contact visitation, meaning you will be separated by glass and speaking through a phone or intercom rather than sitting in the same room. A brief hug on arrival and departure is sometimes permitted at lower-security county facilities, but it is not the norm.

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Subject: Money transfer

yes, it will work with all forms of debit cards

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Subject: Send inmate mail

10" x 13" manila envelopes are the largest accepted

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Subject: General prison questions-terminology

You can see if their case manager or counselor will give them permission - it would require a deputy or sheriff to come to the facility and take down the information. Depending on the circumstances, these are the correct people to determine whether it's going to be allowable.

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