There is no notification system where someone tells the inmate a letter was sent online. From their side, it looks just like regular mail. When you send a letter through InmateAid, it is printed out and mailed through the U.S. Postal Service. Once it arrives at the jail, staff will open and inspect it, and then it is delivered during normal mail call. Your inmate will not know it was sent online unless you mention it in the
Read moreThe only approved size that fits all of the prison criteria is what InmateAid prints it's pictures on - 4" x 6" glossy photo paper. Polaroid-type paper is definitely not allowed or any multi-layered paper. Also, computer generated photos are not allowed in the majority of facilities.
Read moreWhen your husband arrives at Colwell Detention Center, he will first go through an intake process called Admission and Orientation, often referred to as A and O. During this time, the facility evaluates him, assigns housing, and sets up his records. This intake period usually takes anywhere from a few days up to a couple of weeks, depending on the facility. In some cases, parts of orientation can extend longer, but basic processing is typically done within the first
Read moreWhen an inmate is transferred without notice, it can feel like they disappeared, but there are a few common reasons and ways to track them down. Based on what you described, a transfer by air is often a sign that the inmate may be in federal custody or being moved under the U.S. Marshals Service. State inmates are usually transported by ground unless it is a long distance transfer, but flights are much more common with federal movement.
Read moreYou can use the website without entering an inmate ID number. That being said, the real problem happens when trying to send things to them into a prison or jail. They typically require the ID number on any correspondence, therefore we recommend including it. If you cannot find it, you can ask us to help or simply call the facility and ask them - they will give it to you with no problem.
Read moreYes, any time spent in custody is counted as a day incarcerated. You can turn yourself in, get fingerprinted and post bond and leave in two hours and that will count as a one day credit for time served.
Read moreSome facilities do offer online commissary services where you can purchase food or small items like snack packages, but it depends entirely on the specific jail or prison your dad is in. Each facility contracts with different vendors, so there is no single system that works everywhere. If his facility supports it, you would typically order through that approved vendor’s website, and the items are delivered directly to your dad through commissary. That is the only way food items
Read moreYes, that is generally how it works, but it depends on the type of sentence and the system he is in. In many state systems, inmates are required to serve a percentage of their sentence, often around 85% for certain offenses. That means they do not serve the full sentence if they earn and keep their good time credits. For example: A 3 year sentence at 85% means serving about 2 years and 6 months A
Read moreIf your husband was transferred from another federal facility, his inmate trust account balance will follow him. The Bureau of Prisons keeps that account centralized, so the money moves with him automatically. He should have access to those funds once he is processed into FDC Miami, though it can take a few days during intake for everything to show up and become available. If he was coming from a county jail or a state facility, it is different. Those
Read moreEvery single day counts. Time served at the county jail, time served at a reception center, and time served at any other facility all accumulate toward the release date without exception. Not one day of incarceration is thrown away or ignored in the calculation. Here is how the credits in your situation stack up. Your husband had one month in the county before sentencing, plus the 60 days of credit the judge formally granted at sentencing. Then three months
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