Subject: Inmateaid website questions
Yes, the Service is $1.49 per mail piece. We scan the letter and place it in a .pdf for you to download. Many people like to keep their home addresses private. INmateAID gives you a layer of security if needed.
Subject: Inmateaid website questions
No. InmateAid collects inmate data from all of the public inmate locator websites.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
Our Phone Service uses an algorithm to determine the best rate for you based on your location, the inmate's location and the carrier the facility uses. If we can't save you money, we do not issue a line. If we issue a line and the calls are not cheaper, we offer you a refund. It works perfectly in about 70% of the cases
Subject: Relationship issues
Is it a bad idea to contact someone in prison who assaulted me?
In most cases, yes. Here is why.
The dynamic between a survivor and the person who harmed them rarely plays out the way the survivor hopes when contact is reopened. You may be looking for an acknowledgment, an apology, an explanation, or just some version of closure that feels like it will help you move forward. Those are completely understandable things to want. The problem is that you cannot...
Read moreSubject: Prison violence
This is a serious situation and standing up to the people threatening him is not a viable option given his physical condition. That kind of confrontation ends badly for someone who can barely walk, and the people doing the extorting know exactly what they are doing by targeting someone vulnerable.
The most immediate protective measure available to him is requesting protective custody. He can make that request directly to any staff member or officer, and the facility is obligated to take...
Read moreSubject: Emergencies - natural disasters
Ten days of silence after a COVID diagnosis warrants a direct inquiry to the facility, and being listed as the emergency contact gives you standing to ask for information.
Call the facility and ask to speak with either the chaplain or the unit team secretary. When you reach them, request what is called a humanitarian update on your inmate. That is the standard term for a welfare check inquiry from a concerned family member or emergency contact, and staff are generally...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
it could be that they are too sexy (can't reveal private parts), or that there is alcohol or drugs in the picture, or that it is gang-related material
Subject: Inmate phone calls
In all situations, the inmate must initiate the call. The cost to the inmate to make an international call is pricey. You can reduce the cost by acquiring a US number and relaying it to your international one. InmateAid does part of that solution by getting a US number.
Subject: Visitation
No, you will need to have some contact with that inmate and find out if you need to be on "their visiting list" to gain access.
