Phone access hours depend on what type of facility your loved one is housed in. Here are the general guidelines for each system. Federal facilities typically have phone access available from 6:00 AM to 9:30 PM. These hours are relatively consistent across federal institutions though individual housing unit schedules may vary slightly depending on programming and meal times. State prisons generally operate phone access from around 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. State systems vary more than federal so confirming the specific hours...

The length of time an inmate spends in the Special Housing Unit, commonly called the hole or the SHU, depends almost entirely on what was found and how serious the facility considers the infraction. At the minor end of the spectrum a small infraction might result in a week or two in the SHU followed by the loss of certain privileges like visitation, phone access, or commissary for a set period. These situations are unpleasant but manageable and the inmate typically...

Yes. Money deposited through approved services like JPay, Access Corrections, MoneyGram, or similar platforms goes into a single inmate trust account. From there your inmate can allocate those funds however they need including commissary purchases, phone time, tablet messaging, and other approved expenses. The inmate controls how their account balance is distributed. If they need phone time they can move funds from their trust account to their phone account through the facility's phone system or kiosk. If they need commissary items...

In most cases you cannot purchase clothing, shoes, or personal care items directly and send them to your inmate. The good news is that in most facilities your inmate can purchase these things themselves through the commissary — as long as they have money on their account. In federal facilities the commissary offers a reasonable range of options. Inmates can typically purchase sweatpants, shorts, premium underwear, sneakers, and work boots in addition to basic toiletries, hygiene products, and personal care items....

Sudden unexplained silence from an incarcerated loved one is one of the most frightening experiences a family goes through. Two weeks of no contact is long enough that something has almost certainly changed in their situation. Here is an honest breakdown of the most likely explanations. The SHU The most common reason for sudden complete silence is placement in the Special Housing Unit. The SHU is a segregated area within the facility used for disciplinary purposes, protective custody, or administrative holds. Inmates...

If you have an emergency and need to get an urgent message to your inmate as quickly as possible, there is one reliable path that bypasses the normal communication timeline. Call the facility directly and ask to speak with your inmate's unit secretary or case manager. These are the staff members assigned to your inmate's specific housing unit and they can deliver a message directly to your inmate far faster than any other channel available to you from the outside. When you...

Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center, known as RCCC, is located in Elk Grove California and is operated by the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office. Here is what you need to know about visitation options there. In person visitation In person visits at RCCC are available Monday through Saturday and must be scheduled in advance. No more than three visitors including infants and children are permitted per visit. All visitors must present a valid government issued photo ID. Visitors under 18 must be accompanied by...

No. There is no penalty to your inmate if you are unable to make a scheduled visit. Missing a visit is not a disciplinary matter and will not affect your loved one's privileges, record, or future visitation eligibility. This is one of those situations where the person on the outside often feels far more anxiety than the reality inside warrants. Life happens. Cars break down, emergencies arise, children get sick, and schedules fall apart. Prison officials understand this completely. In the experience...

Yes, the InmateAid discount phone service can work for calls from Madison Correctional Complex. Whether it will save you money depends on two factors specific to your situation. The first factor is the relationship between your current phone number and the number your inmate calls from inside Madison Complex. If your number is already local to the facility's area you may already be receiving the lower local rate. If your number is considered long distance relative to the facility you are...

These are two separate questions and both have straightforward explanations. Why an inmate might not appear on InmateAid Inmate profiles are occasionally removed at the request of the individual or their family, particularly when someone has been released and no longer wants their information publicly visible. Profiles may also be updated or temporarily unavailable during data refresh periods. If your loved one's profile has disappeared it does not necessarily mean anything has happened to them inside the facility. Why your sent letters are...