Subject: Prison discipline
The classification for inmate custody level is done in Beaumont TX by an arbitrary committee that looks at only hard data. This is not a punitive selection, it is based on several factors that are not made known to the public. If they have him in high security, they must have something more than you have heard. You would not be entitled to reviewing his file, nor could you get any information by calling them and asking. The best your...
Read moreSubject: Visitation
Yes, but you may or may not be able to have contact. It depends on the custody level of the facility and what restrictions he might be on.
Subject: Visitation
You are entitled to a "special visit" if you travel over 100 miles to the prison. But, you must get permission before you arrive. They will normally allow you to have the entire time for both Saturday and Sunday. Just be sure to show respect when asking for this privilege and remember that they control how well your inmate is treated, so be super-nice.
Subject: Ice-immigration enforcement
The problem is that this country has been taking a tough stance when it comes to illegal immigration. They are holding people for months and months. In this case, the "material witness" issue is not necessarily related to him being an illegal alien. There are rules that allow the prosecution to hold a witness they deem as material to their case if they are fearful that they are a flight risk and ruin their case.
Since September 11, 2001, the...
Read moreSubject: Sentencing questions
Typically, the prosecution is in no rush for probation violations seeking a court date. The normal rule of thumb from the prosecutor's perspective is a violator is highly likely to receive jail time. With that knowledge, they are not in a hurry to give a definite date - he will be given "time-served" for his current stay.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
Yes they will, but make sure it's not a fake Global Tel, go to connectnetwork.com to be certain. If your calls are long distance, the [InmateAid Discount Telephone Service](https://www.inmateaid.com/shop/calls) can reduce most GTL calls by at least $4.00 each. If you are uncertain, send us your telephone number and the facility name - we will give you an honest estimate before you sign-up
Subject: Survive prison
Prison life is defined by the type of prison you do your time in. Maximum security prisons have the offenders with the longest sentences for the worst crimes. Those inmates have little to lose when it comes to imposing their will on other inmates in there. It can be brutal at times and there are some really violent episodes that occur. Generally, as the custody level lowers, so does the level of brutality but this is certainly not without exceptions....
Read moreSubject: Sentencing questions
This is a serious charge that carries a heavy penalty. Since he has a criminal history and was already incarcerated it is our opinion that the least he will get is 30 years and it's likely he could get life.
Subject: Sentencing questions
The sentencing phase is based on a point system set up by the legislature that writes the laws. The higher the points, the longer the sentence. The judge has discretion to determine the sentence, there are a few factors with which to base their determination: criminal conduct history; was the offender the main actor in the crime;
were there victims that were injured or killed; were there aggravating circumstances when an offender was particularly cruel to a victim -...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
The simplest approach is to call the facility directly. Call the main number, which you can find through InmateAid's facility directory or the state department of corrections website, and ask the operator or whoever answers to connect you with the case manager or counselor assigned to your family member's housing unit.
Have your family member's full legal name and inmate ID number ready when you call. Most facilities assign case managers by housing unit rather than by individual inmate, so the...
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