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

Yes. Inmates can send letters internationally, including to the United Kingdom, the same way anyone sends international mail. A letter written on paper, placed in an envelope, addressed correctly with the full UK address including postcode, and stamped with the appropriate international postage will travel through the regular postal system and arrive in the UK the same as any other piece of international mail. The practical considerations are on the inmate's end. International postage costs more than domestic postage, and the...

For a standalone combination of these charges with no injury, no accident, and no prior pattern of reckless behavior, the realistic answer is very little to none. These are typically civil infractions or low-level misdemeanors that result in fines, court costs, and possibly a suspended sentence or probation rather than actual incarceration. Judges generally do not send people to jail for administrative driving violations when no one was hurt. The goal of the court in these cases is compliance, getting the...

There is no fixed timeline. Once an inmate is approved and on the list for a treatment program, the wait depends entirely on bed space availability in the treatment dorm at the facility where the program is offered. Maryland DOC treatment programs are in demand, and available spots are limited relative to the number of people who want them. The wait can range from a few weeks to several months depending on how many people are ahead in the queue, whether...

Yes, I have 6. Here is my assessment: There are some factors on the outside that have to work in your favor for an inmate's relationship with their kids to be "normal". If the spouse with custody of the kids supports the inmate emotionally and familiarly, then the kids see the example set that this will all work out. BUT, if the spouse is filling the kid's head with negative stuff about their significant other, then the setting changes 180...

The math does not quite line up, and it is worth investigating. Here is what the numbers should look like. Three years at 50 percent means 18 months of actual time to serve. He was in custody from October 18, 2021 to his plea on December 20, 2021, which is about 63 days of pre-plea credit. Working from his plea date and subtracting that credit, the estimated release should land somewhere around early to mid 2023, not May 2025. May 2025 is...

Florida inmates can have tablets, and the program is run through JPay, which currently holds the contract with the Florida Department of Corrections. The tablet and the phone are separate things. Calls happen through the facility's phone system, while the tablet is a dedicated device for education, messaging, and entertainment. The tablet used in Florida is the JPay JP6S. It gives inmates access to educational content including Khan Academy Lite videos and GED prep through JPay's Lantern learning management system. Beyond...

There is always a reason. It might be a shitty one, but they are in charge, and there aren't any appellate processes for the inmate. The CO can basically levy an accusation of specific charges on any inmate by placing "under investigation". Once that status is tagged, they take the inmate(s) to the SHU until the investigation is concluded. This could literally take weeks or months. There are different commissary rules for the SHU, the item list is very limited. ...

No. An inmate's C-file, the central file maintained by the Department of Corrections that contains their complete institutional record, is not accessible to family members or significant others. It is confidential and protected under the same privacy framework that governs any personal record. The only person who can formally request and review the C-file on behalf of an inmate is an attorney of record. Once an attorney is retained or appointed and appears on the case, they have the standing to...

Letters sent through InmateAid travel via the US Postal Service from InmateAid's Florida office. Transit to the facility typically takes 2 to 3 business days. After the letter arrives, the mailroom staff opens and inspects it before distributing it at mail call, which adds more time. Plan for the full journey from send to in-hand to be somewhere between 5 and 10 days, depending on the facility. For writing back, all your inmate needs is a postage stamp, paper, and a...