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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.

Ask your question or browse previous questions in response to comments or further questions of members of the InmateAid community.

Subject: General prison questions-terminology

You did not mess up. Drinking that ends up with violence is why there are jails. People who do not know better and need to be caged to protect those that beat their "loved ones". This is not something that will play well in front of a judge.You are not going to get the opportunity to say this in open court, and probably not smart to say it at all. The national pulse on domestic violence is not offering high tolerance, either.  If

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Subject: General prison questions-terminology

To find out your family member’s current status and whether parole is possible, you will need to go through official sources, not just the jail. Start with the court records: Parole eligibility is determined by the judge and written into the sentencing documents. This is usually called the Judgment and Commitment order. It outlines: The sentence Whether parole is allowed Any special conditions You can: Call the Clerk of Court in Maverick County Ask

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Subject: Prison discipline

A sexual act infraction is a formal disciplinary charge issued when an inmate engages in sexual behavior that violates facility rules. It goes on their disciplinary record and can carry real consequences including loss of good time, restricted privileges, placement in the SHU, or in some cases additional criminal charges. The two most common situations that generate this infraction are indecent exposure in front of staff and sexual contact with another inmate. Indecent exposure typically means masturbating in

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Subject: Prison rumors & jail scams

Not all inmates are misleading women, but it does happen often enough that you should be aware of it and protect yourself. When someone is incarcerated, they have: A lot of time Limited emotional connection A strong need for support, money, and attention That can lead some inmates to form relationships that feel very real in the moment, but are not always intended to continue after release. At the same time, there are also

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Subject: General prison questions-terminology

You are doing all of the right things to stay connected. If you start writing letters, there is lag time in the beginning but after the first one gets there, then there'll be a stream of consistent letters for him just about every day - if you keep writing everyday.  InmateAid's letter service is as fast as there is and VERY reliable. The photo feature is the most popular. Setting up a phone account can get expensive if you are

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Subject: Commissary

TDCJ are required to do 85% of their sentence. The only possibility for parole is determined by the sentencing judge in the Judgement and Commitment Order. Ask your inmate's counselor f there is a provision for a parole hearing, usually commencing at the one-third mark in the sentence.

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Subject: Send inmate mail

Mail is considered sacred in a prison, detention center or jail.  InmateAid's service is not email; it is with the US Postal Service. Inmates do not have Internet access. We estimate that it takes 2-3 business days to make it to the jail. Once there, the staff opens and reads each piece of mail and inspects it for contraband. Any delay that occurs at the facility is out of our control. We make no guarantees as to how long it

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Subject: Visitation

Whether you can physically touch your family member during a visit depends almost entirely on the security level of the facility they are in. Contact visitation means you are in the same room with no barrier between you. A brief hug at the start and end of the visit is typically permitted, and you sit across a table or in chairs facing each other. This is the standard setup at most minimum and low security facilities, federal camps, and

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Subject: Send inmate mail

InmateAid's service is not email; it is with the US Postal Service. Inmates do not have Internet access. We estimate that it takes 2-3 business days to make it to the jail. Once there, the staff opens and reads each piece of mail and inspects it for contraband. Once they decide the mail is fit to be handed out at mail call, your inmate will receive it. Any delay that occurs at the facility is out of our control. We

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Subject: Send inmate mail

Yes, ALL mail is opened and read for content and the pictures are scrutinized before it is handed to the inmate at mail call.

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