Subject: Halfway house
This depends solely on bed space. Everyone working their way towards the door sometimes meets a log jam getting into a halfway house near their family. There are far fewer halfway house beds than prison beds. It could be a few days or several weeks unfortunately. We've even heard of inmate's halfway house time being served in the originating institution. The good news, he has an out-date!
Subject: Survive prison
Our advice is to call the facility and try to speak to the counselor first and see where that gets you. If you feel stonewalled, call the chaplain. If that gets you nowhere, you have to go to the head of the jail, whether that is the warden or a captain and express your concerns in the most humble and respectful manner. If you are convinced after trying a few people that they are not helping you get the information...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Our numbers are land lines and can be used to register with any and all of the prison phone services. Securus is aggressive in protecting their high rates and have blocked numbers to force the inmate to dial to the higher tariff phone number. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) website endorses ["Low Cost Inmate Call Routing Services"](https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-323495A1.pdf), please read their statement. You are entitled to procure local lines to save money, the government is not opposed, nor are the prisons, jails and...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Your number is in Dublin-San Ramon CA and is 22 miles from the Contra Costa County - Martinez Detention Center in Martinez CA. The calls from the jail are NOT LOCAL. The carrier there is Global Tel*Link or connectnetwork.com. The call to your number is about $6.00 per call, the call to a Martinez number is only $1.65. The savings in this example are more than $4.00 per call. Our service can get you this number without a contract for...
Read moreSubject: Money transfer
Yes you can and it is a good idea.
Subject: Commissary
The facility will provide a deposit slip to the inmate notifying them that they have money to spend for commissary
Subject: Inmate transfer
My inmate is in solitary and has anxiety issues, is there anything we can do to get him transferred?
There is very little you can do about the housing situation of an inmate. The designation is decided and approved by the administration and they internally document their reasons for every decision. These decisions are not available to the public. Once an offender is the property of the state, there is nothing an outside influence can change. He may petition his case manager for a transfer but the status of SHU is not available for appeal.
If he has been locked...
Read moreSubject: Sentencing questions
A 10 serve 2 sentence means the judge imposed a 10-year sentence but built in a mandatory minimum of 2 years that must be served before any parole consideration kicks in. It is a structure used in some state systems that gives the court a way to impose a longer sentence as a ceiling while setting a floor that guarantees some minimum time is served, regardless of behavior or parole board decisions.
For a first-time offender on a shoplifting charge, a...
Read moreSubject: Pending criminal charges
Traffic tickets alone rarely result in extended jail time. Most people are held briefly until a bail amount is set and paid or until a court appearance is scheduled. The length depends on whether any additional charges, warrants, or aggravating circumstances are attached to the arrest.
Subject: Send inmate mail
Inmates may respond even if they have no money on their books. The facility allows for stamps and writing material to be provided to indigent inmates. Inmates with money, certainly can write.
