Subject: Send inmate money
Usually there is no limit. Depending on where your inmate is, there could be a limitation on the deposit amount. There is a limit on how much they can spend at the commissary each week. I have seen an inmate with a balance in a federal camp of over $20k
Subject: Commissary
There is no standard way to order food and have it delivered directly to an inmate, the way you might send a gift basket to someone at home. Most correctional facilities do not accept food packages from outside, and those that do have highly specific rules about approved vendors and items.
The most universal option is funding the inmate's commissary account. Commissary is the store inside the facility where inmates can purchase food items, snacks, drinks, and other approved goods on...
Read moreSubject: Inmate care packages
Care packages depend entirely on the specific jail’s rules. Not every facility allows them, and if they do, they only accept orders from approved vendors.
For Lamar County Jail, here is how to figure it out:
1. Check if they allow care packages
Call the jail directly or check their website
Ask if they use a vendor like iCare, Access Securepak, or a similar service
If they do allow packages, they will tell you exactly which company to use.
2. If they do not allow packages
Many...
Read moreSubject: 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...
Read moreSubject: 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 for case details and sentencing information
This information is public and they can guide you
Check with the...
Read moreSubject: 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 view of an officer,...
Read moreSubject: 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 genuine relationships that survive incarceration and continue on the outside. Both things...
Read moreSubject: 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...
Read moreSubject: 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.
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 will take as there are thousands of
facilities and...
Read more


