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Ask a former inmate questions at no charge. The inmate answering has spent considerable time in the federal prison system, state and county jails, and in a prison that was run by the private prison entity CCA.

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Subject: Marriage in prison

No, unfortunately, the county jails do not allow marriages. There is only a short list of prisons that do, and the inmate has to have a long sentence. Inmates are in county jail no longer than 24 months.

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Subject: Send books and magazines

The magazine subscription takes 8 weeks at least to get the first issue rolling. Our policy is that you can change the address as many times as necessary. We know inmates get moved all the time and this concession seems to work well for all parties.

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Subject: After prison challenges & services

just email the new location and we will make the change for you at the publisher. your inmate will not miss an issue.

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Subject: Emergencies - natural disasters

Yes, you can call the facility and speak with the unit secretary, case manager or counselor.

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Subject: Inmate transfer

Yes, when the custody level changes, the facility they are in must match. Therefore you can expect a transfer soon unless this facility has separate security divisions within the complex

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Subject: Send inmate money

We selected MoneyGram for our partner. They service federal, state and county - they are the oldest and most trusted in the money transfer game.

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Subject: Marriage in prison

Inmates may marry in prison under some very specific guidelines. First, have your inmate talk to someone at the facility and find out if they even allow it there. If they do, then he will need to know what the criteria are and if they qualify.

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Subject: General prison questions-terminology

Almost certainly yes, the data exists. Virtually all jail phone calls and video visits are recorded and the recordings are retained. The question is whether and how that data can be accessed by the inmate or their attorney. For inmates requesting copies of their own call or visit recordings, the process typically runs through the jail administration. Your husband would need to submit a formal request through the proper channels at Elkhart County Jail, most likely through his case

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Subject: Inmate phone calls

Yes, that is the only way an inmate may communicate by phone because they cannot receive an incoming phone call.

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Subject: Relationship issues

This is not going to be easy on either of you. He is thinking you are seeing other people because he can't see what you are doing. The mind plays tricks and you feel desperate. Connecting, communicating, visiting, talking on the phone, writing... it's all you can do. Do as much as you can and hope for the best. You might do everything right, never run around and he still might not come around. Good luck!

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