No federal program provides airfare or travel assistance for families visiting federal inmates. The Bureau of Prisons does not offer transportation subsidies, and there is no government program specifically designed to cover the cost of visiting an incarcerated family member. A few nonprofit organizations have worked on this issue over the years, and it is worth doing some research for your specific state and situation. Organizations focused on prisoner reentry and family support sometimes have small funds available for
Read moreYes. Inmates that have money on their inmate trust accounts can purchase stamps and envelopes at the weekly commissary. If they do not have money on their books, the prison will provide indigent inmates with all the materials necessary to send out mail to their loved ones. If your inmate writes to you directly, using your address, the cost of the mailing is a 49 cent stamp. Many of our members use the Inmate Response Mail service through InmateAid.
Read moreAggravated riot is a serious felony charge and the potential sentence varies significantly depending on which state the charge is filed in, the specific circumstances of the incident, the individual's criminal history, and whether the case resolves through a plea or goes to trial. Federal vs State Aggravated riot charges are most commonly filed at the state level. Federal riot charges exist under 18 U.S.C. 2102 but are less common. The distinction matters because federal and state sentencing
Read moreSometimes yes, but it depends entirely on the facility and the phone provider they use. Years ago, getting a local number in the same area code as the prison often lowered the cost because calls were billed as local instead of long distance. That still works in some places, but the industry has changed a lot. Today, there are dozens of providers, and many no longer price calls strictly based on distance. In some systems: Local
Read moreThe Clerk of the Court in the county where he is or was held. You can request all of the documents pertaining to his case. There might be a small charge to copy your request, but it will be the most accurate information avaiable to you.
Read moreIt depends on what the fine is for. If it is a court fine or a restitution the money goes to that department or entity. The prison is not for profit and any money they receive has an obligation to marshal assets for the government when it is owed by someone in their custody. Even the money that the commissary takes in, if there is a "profit" it is rolled into inmate programs and inmate recreation costs.
Read moreA property bond is a bond that posts the value of tangible property, such as real estate, in order to obtain a pre-trial release from jail. In some cases, the value of the property may need to be twice as high as the bail amount in order for a property bond to be accepted. A property bond is not allowed in every state. A property bond may be obtained from a bail agent. Depending on the law of the
Read moreAppeals are costly and largely yield a negative outcome. A successful appeal needs a specialist and a decent case (one where many judicial errors were made) for them to have a slim chance of prevailing. Sex offender cases are especially tough. In our opinion, unless there is DNA evidence that exonerates the offender, they rarely come out the way you hope. Sometimes the appellate route is for your conscience. You feel like you need to spend every dollar you
Read moreCall the camp counselor at the Jamestown facility directly and ask for a welfare or health update on your husband. That is the most direct path to getting information. You do not need a specific reason beyond being his family and wanting to confirm he is receiving care. Counselors deal with these calls and can at minimum confirm he is there and being attended to, even if they cannot share detailed medical information. The lack of contact over two
Read moreNo, there are no margins, only guidelines that the judges use to determine the length of the sentence. Federal Sentencing Guidelines Manual guides judges toward a sentence based on the facts that led to the conviction. The sentencing guidelines are advisory, not mandatory unlike mandatory minimums. Judges are allowed to go below or above someone’s guideline sentence depending on the circumstances of the case. Here’s an example of how a federal judge uses the guidelines to determine a
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