Ask The Inmate. Real answers from people who've been there.

Yes, SMART (Stress Management and Rehabilitation Training) is a prison-based program designed to teach inmates how to manage their stress, aggression, and trauma, building a foundation for a new life. The SMART objective is to make a life-transforming difference in the lives of all people within the criminal justice system, by teaching skills for reducing stress, healing trauma, and providing practical knowledge of how to handle one’s emotions, live to one’s highest potential and contribute to society. SMART aims to reduce offender recidivism...

It could take up to a week or so to gain approval. The facility normally does not notify you when you are approved. It is your inmate's responsibility to let you know. There are a couple of different types of visitation for inmates: Video visitation is becoming more common and in some instances can be done from the comfort of your own home.  Video visitation works similar to the way you would use Facetime or Skype.  Non-contact or telephone visitation is when you...

Two weeks without contact from someone who normally calls every few days is worth following up on, and calling the facility directly is exactly the right move. When you call, ask to be connected to one of the following people in this order of likelihood to be helpful: the unit secretary, the counselor assigned to his unit, his case manager, or the warden's office. The unit secretary and counselor are often the most accessible and the most willing to share basic...