After Prison Services — Ask the Inmate
Leaving prison is not the finish line, it is the starting line of one of the most challenging transitions a person can face. The weeks and months immediately after release determine whether someone successfully rebuilds their life or cycles back into the system. This section covers everything that happens after the prison doors open: finding housing, securing employment with a criminal record, navigating supervised release conditions, understanding reentry resources in your community, and reconnecting with family after time apart. For families who have supported a loved one through their sentence the reentry period requires just as much preparation and support as the incarceration itself. The practical questions answered here come from people who have lived through reentry and from families who helped make it work. Whether your loved one is weeks away from release or just starting a long sentence with reentry already in mind the earlier the planning begins the better the outcome. See also our sections on Halfway House, Parole and Probation, and Work Release.
The InmateAid Discount Phone service will reduce the cost from $1.85 to connect and $0.88 cents/minute to a flat rate of only $0.21/minute. This payment still goes to Securus but the difference in a 15-minute call is significant. Your number is $15.05, our number is $3.15, a savings of $11.90 per call. InmateAid stretches his call money 5 for one!
Read moreInmates have a form they fill out which can transfer money from their commissary account to someone on the outside. In federal prison, the form is called a BP-199.
Read morejust email the new location and we will make the change for you at the publisher. your inmate will not miss an issue.
Read moreYes, and the process is more straightforward than most people expect. Newly released inmates can use their prison-issued ID together with their birth certificate to apply for a state-issued photo ID card or a driver's license. Most states accept the combination of a prison ID and birth certificate as sufficient documentation to get a permanent government ID through the DMV. Getting that ID should be one of the first priorities after release since it is needed for almost everything else,
Read moreFinding a job with a felony is going to be difficult, so he's going to have to prepare himself for the struggle. The mindset he has is going to be the most important element to success. He must have the attitude that he WILL find a job no matter how long it takes. Most ex-offenders give up and that leads to a path back to criminal thinking, committing a crime and then going back (becoming a recidivism statistic). We
Read moreNo, your husband will not be able to see photos posted on his profile. Inmates do not have access to the internet, so anything uploaded to an online profile cannot be viewed by them inside the facility. The only reliable way for him to see photos is: Sending them through the mail Using a service like InmateAid to print and deliver the photos Once printed and mailed, he will receive them as physical pictures
Read moreWe 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 none of them do things the same way.Please be patient, if the ID number and facility are correct we are
Read moreThe fact that your boyfriend is already in a work release program and will be keeping his job after release puts him in a significantly better position than most people coming out after five years. That employment continuity is the single most stabilizing factor in successful reentry and everything else builds from there. Here is a breakdown of resources worth pursuing before and after release. Federal Second Chance Act programs. The Second Chance Act funds reentry programs across
Read moreAfter a second DUI, it is very likely your fiancé will be released under strict conditions, and drinking alcohol will almost certainly be prohibited. In most cases, a short jail sentence like 4 months is followed by probation or supervised release, and those terms usually include: No alcohol use at all Random breathalyzer or drug testing Required substance abuse evaluation or treatment Possible counseling or DUI education programs If he drinks and gets caught, even once, the
Read moreAt Vienna Correctional Center, your loved one has a few practical options for getting legal help with divorce proceedings. 1. Hire a private attorney If possible, this is the most reliable option. A divorce attorney can communicate with him by mail, phone, or in-person visits at the facility. The attorney can handle filings, deadlines, and court appearances, which is especially helpful when someone is incarcerated. 2. Use the prison law library All correctional facilities are required to provide access
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