Subject: General prison questions-terminology
this depends on where they are incarcerated. send us the name of the institution and we will try and get you the information. many facilities offer the essentials, and if they do not allow outside personal affects sent in, there is the commissary which has the extras like personal body products and clothing.
Subject: Inmate search
Try this link [GDC Inmate Locator](http://www.dcor.state.ga.us/GDC/OffenderQuery/jsp/OffQryForm.jsp?Institution=)
Subject: Parole, probation & supervised release
This is a serious situation, and the outcome can be significant.
A probation violation alone can send him back to custody to serve the remaining time on his original sentence. When you add a DWI 3rd or more, which is usually a felony, it becomes much more likely the court will impose jail or prison time.
What the judge will look at:
The terms of his original probation
How much time was suspended on that case
His prior DWI history
The details of this new arrest
Public safety concerns
What is likely:
The...
Read moreSubject: Visitation
Yes, being a German citizen does not prevent you from visiting him.
US jails and prisons generally allow international visitors, but you still have to go through the same approval process as anyone else.
What you will need to do:
Be added to his approved visitation list
Complete any visitor application required by the facility
Provide valid identification, usually your passport
What they will look at:
Your criminal history (a felony record can be an issue)
Any pending legal matters
Your relationship to the inmate
How visitation works (county jail like Wichita Falls):
Visits are scheduled on...
Read moreSubject: Sentence reduction
In most cases, no. When a sentence requires 85 percent to be served, it is usually tied to a “violent offense” rule that limits early release options.
That means:
Good time is capped or already built into that 85 percent
Parole, if available at all, does not come before that threshold
The system is designed so the majority of the sentence is actually served
Are there any exceptions?
Very few, and they are not common:
Appeal or sentence modification
If there is a legal issue with the case, an attorney...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
It's just one number
Subject: Release questions
Yes, they are different, and it is easy to confuse them.
Out date:
This is the expected release date. It reflects when the system currently shows the inmate should be released, based on:
Sentencing
Time served
Credits or holds
Keep in mind, this date can change if something in the case changes.
Update (or update date):
This is not a release date. It simply means something in the inmate’s record was changed or reviewed. That could be:
A new court date added
A charge updated
A bond or hold change
Administrative updates
So when you...
Read moreSubject: Survive prison
If this is a federal inmate, then they might have him held for a few days to a few weeks awaiting a bed in the camp. This happens all the time. They make you see what real prison is like for a bit then send you over to the camp. If you are like most short-timers (and less than five years is short) after you spend two weeks in the SHU at the beginning, it wakes you up to what...
Read moreSubject: Parole, probation & supervised release
It usually happens much sooner than a few months, at least for the first court appearance.
After an arrest for a probation violation and a new charge, the process typically looks like this:
Initial appearance (very soon)
He should see a judge within 24 to 72 hours (business days)
This is often called an arraignment or first appearance
The judge reviews the charges and may address bond
Probation hold factor
Because it is a probation violation:
He may be held without bond
Or have a separate hold that keeps him in custody
Next hearings
After the...
Read moreSubject: Release questions
In most cases, yes, he will serve close to the full 25 days, but there can be small variations.
Here is how it usually works:
Short sentences like 25 days:
There is often little or no time off for good behavior
Some facilities may apply a small amount of credit, but it is not significant on such a short sentence
Possible ways he could get out a little earlier:
Good time credit (if the facility applies it to short sentences)
Overcrowding or administrative release (not guaranteed)
Transfer to immigration custody (ICE) before the full...
Read more


