When an inmate is transferred from a county jail to a state prison after sentencing, the destination is not disclosed in advance. Facilities do not notify families of where an inmate is being moved for security reasons, and there is no way to find out ahead of time where he will end up. The most practical approach is to check the Arizona Department of Corrections inmate locator regularly. Once your fiance arrives at his designated facility and is processed
Read moreInmateAid was built specifically to support families and loved ones of incarcerated people across every stage of the process. Here is a rundown of what is available. Letters and photos. Write a letter through InmateAid and we print it, add any photos you want to include, and mail it directly to the facility. Your inmate receives it at mail call like any other piece of mail. If your inmate writes back to our return address, we scan it and
Read moreNo. InmateAid does not charge activation fees or add costs on top of what the prison's phone carrier already charges. The only fee InmateAid charges is the monthly cost for the local phone number itself. Here is the distinction that matters. Every jail and prison has an exclusive contract with a phone carrier, such as GTL, Securus, or CityTeleCoin. That carrier records all calls, manages the approved contact list, and bills for every call placed. You cannot opt out
Read moreYes, you should receive an email notification when your inmate sends you a letter through the InmateAid Response Service. Here is how it works: Your inmate mails the letter to the InmateAid address It is received, scanned, and uploaded to your account You are sent an email alert letting you know there is a letter waiting You can then log into your Account Dashboard to view, download, or manage the letter. If you are not seeing notifications: Check
Read moreThe most direct way to reach the chaplain at California Institution for Men is to call the facility at 909-597-1821 and ask to be connected to the chaplain's office. When you get through, explain your situation clearly and ask for their guidance. Chaplains at correctional facilities are generally among the most accessible and helpful staff members for families on the outside. They operate somewhat independently from the administrative chain of command and can often facilitate welfare checks, pass along
Read moreInmates do not have internet access and cannot set up or manage their own profiles on InmateAid. Everything on the profile is either pulled from public inmate search databases, which may include a booking photo or mugshot, or uploaded by a family member or friend who created the profile. If you want to add a photo to your family member's profile, you do not have to use a mugshot or a jail photo. Use a picture from before their
Read moreYes, and there are several practical steps that can move this forward without your fiance needing to be physically present in court. In most states, an inmate who filed for divorce can continue pursuing that divorce from inside prison. Physical presence at a final divorce hearing is often not required, particularly in uncontested cases with no disputes over children or property. Your fiance's attorney, or a family law attorney if he does not currently have one, can appear on
Read moreIt is not a good idea and in many facilities it will get your letter rejected before it ever reaches your inmate. Perfume and cologne on mail are prohibited at most correctional facilities because scent can be used to mask the smell of drugs or other contraband during mail room inspections. Many facilities post this restriction explicitly in their mail policies, and officers who detect a scented letter will often discard or return it without delivering it. Lipstick
Read moreIt happens more often than people expect, and there are a few reasons why someone close to an inmate may not know the full picture of what they were charged with or convicted of. The most common reason is that the inmate chose not to tell you. People facing criminal charges are often embarrassed, protective of their image with family, or simply not ready to have certain conversations. Some charges carry a stigma that makes disclosure feel impossible, particularly
Read moreYes, you will still need to maintain and fund an account with Securus Technologies even if you use a discount phone service. Securus controls the phone system inside the facility, so every call must go through them. The discount service does not replace Securus, it simply reduces the cost by giving your inmate a local number to call instead of a long distance one. Here is how it works: You get a local number through InmateAid You set up
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