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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: Release questions

When charges are reduced and there is no longer a legal basis to hold someone, release should happen relatively quickly, often within hours to a couple of days, depending on the facility's processing workload. If your husband has not been released yet after his charges were reduced, there is almost certainly another reason for the delay. A few possibilities worth checking on. Outstanding holds or detainers from another jurisdiction will prevent release even when the current case is

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Subject: Visitation

Probably not, but these decisions are determined on a case-by-case basis. Normally, the rule is that felons cannot be approved for visitation unless there is a solid reason or if the relation is inner-circle family members. You will need to contact the counselor, unit team manager or case manager at the detention center to get the information on what you'll have to go through to get approved.

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Subject: Inmate phone calls

The phone service at all of the correction centers are set up through bid process. There are about 30 prison-specific phone companies that fight to get the contract for each and every prison. Whoever has the contract for all inmate outbound calling and to tape record the calls essentially has a monopoly and you have to use them to receive calls.  The choice is whether you pay them for a long distance call that can run as much as $15.00

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Subject: Send inmate mail

First, congratulations on the release. That is the best possible reason for a letter not to arrive. When an inmate is released before a letter reaches them, InmateAid cannot issue a cash refund, but we will resend the letter and photos to any address you provide at no additional charge. That means the letter your fiancé never received while inside can still reach them at home. Just contact us at aid@inmateaid.com with the new address and we will take

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Subject: Visitation

Cimarron Correctional Facility in Cushing, Oklahoma is a privately operated prison run by CoreCivic. Like all correctional facilities, new arrivals go through an Admissions and Orientation process before phone calls and visitation become available. That orientation period typically takes one to two weeks, sometimes a little longer depending on how many new arrivals are being processed at the same time. During that window your husband will be meeting with medical staff and his unit team, and he will have

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Subject: Survive prison

If you have not heard from your cousin in a long time, the first step is to confirm where he is currently housed. You can do that using the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator, which will show his facility if he is still in federal custody. Once you know the facility, your options to check on his wellbeing are limited but there are a few things you can do: Call the facility and ask for

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Subject: General prison questions-terminology

When an inmate is in segregation, their privileges are restricted, but they are not completely cut off from communication or support. Your fiancé will still be able to receive certain InmateAid services, even while in segregation: Letters and photos: You can continue sending letters and photos without any issue. Mail is still delivered to inmates in segregation, although it may take a little longer to be processed. Books and magazines: You can send approved books and magazine

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Subject: Commissary

Inmates new to a facility will have to go through Admissions and Orientation. This is where they learn the rules of the prison and it is there where the visitation and phone privileges are spelled out. It can take only a few days to get into the system to communicate or up to a couple of weeks. It depends on the staff and the attitude, compliance and behavior of the inmate.

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Subject: Parole & probation

There is always a chance but this time around it will have a lot to do with the wording on the judges Commitment Order. Only the judge can create the opportunity for parole, or not. Being that this is a violation of the original order, it is 50/50 at best

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Subject: Send inmate mail

Most inmates do not have access to the Internet or email, they receive letters through the US Mail. Mail call is done Monday through Friday only. Inmates that have money on their inmate trust accounts can purchase stamps and envelopes at the weekly commissary. If they do not have money on their books, the prison will provide indigent inmates with all the materials necessary to send out mail to their loved ones. If your inmate writes to you directly, using

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