Ask The Inmate. Real answers from people who've been there.

In most cases, mail does not follow an inmate after a transfer. If a letter is sent to the old facility, it will usually be: Returned to sender, or Not delivered at all Forwarding is rare, especially in county and state systems. If you used InmateAid: You will be notified if the letter is returned If you provide the new facility information, the letter can be resent at no charge Best practice going forward: Always confirm the inmate’s current location before sending mail Include the correct facility address and inmate ID number During transfers, letters are the...

If you want to stay private, InmateAid’s Response Service is exactly what you are looking for. At facilities like Preston E. Smith Unit, inmates do not have internet access, so they cannot use this site directly. Everything is handled through regular mail. Here is how it works: Your letter is sent with the InmateAid return address, not your home address The inmate writes back to that InmateAid address InmateAid receives the letter, scans it, and uploads it to your account You get an email notification when it is ready to...

It depends on the facility. There is no universal rule, and policies vary considerably between county jails, state prisons, and federal facilities. Some county jails do allow family members to bring or send clothing directly, particularly for inmates who are awaiting trial and have not yet been issued a facility uniform. In those cases there are usually strict guidelines about what is acceptable, specific colors, no underwire, no gang-affiliated colors, and items must often be new with tags attached. Most state and...

The insurance question is one that comes up frequently in situations where a judge has offered rehab as a condition of release, and the answer is straightforward but not what most families want to hear. Private insurance companies will not write a new policy for someone who is incarcerated or in active legal proceedings. That door is effectively closed. What is available is the state-funded alternative. Medicaid and other welfare-based programs exist specifically to cover substance abuse treatment for individuals who...

An inmate can pursue a divorce while incarcerated, but the legal process happens outside the facility. The jail itself is not involved in the divorce proceedings beyond accommodating attorney visits. Your boyfriend will need a divorce attorney to handle the case. The attorney files the divorce petition, arranges to visit the facility to have documents reviewed and signed, and manages the service of process on his spouse. Attorneys are familiar with jail visitation protocols for legal visits and can navigate that...

A home plan being initiated eight months before the end of a sentence is a positive development. It signals that the Department of Corrections is beginning the evaluation of release options, a standard step in preparing an inmate for supervised release or parole. The home plan process involves a visit from a state representative, typically a probation or parole officer, to the address where the inmate intends to live after release. The purpose of the visit is to confirm that the...

InmateAid's discount telephone service is exactly what you need, and getting it set up is straightforward. Here is how it works. InmateAid provides you with a local phone number in the same rate center as your son's facility. Instead of your son dialing a long distance number and triggering expensive long distance rates through the prison's phone carrier, he dials the local InmateAid number instead. That call routes directly to your existing phone. The prison's carrier still handles the call, but...

Yes. You can send letters directly through the US Postal Service without using InmateAid or any online service. There is nothing preventing you from writing a letter by hand, putting it in an envelope, and mailing it yourself. To send mail directly to Lincoln County Detention Center in Pioche, Nevada, address the envelope with your boyfriend's full legal name, his inmate ID or booking number, and the facility's complete mailing address. The inmate ID number is important because the mail room...

Calendars are not accepted at most correctional facilities, and a personalized calendar with photos is likely to be rejected at the mail room regardless of how it is packaged or sent. The reasons facilities restrict calendars vary, but the most common concerns are the binding, the thickness, and the potential for concealment of contraband within the pages or spine. Some facilities also have blanket restrictions on items that could be used to track dates or coordinate activity, though this varies by...

Our service provides a local number to make the calls through the prison telephone service much cheaper than if your inmate is calling you long distance. You can call us and we can help you set this up 866-966-7100. If you are more comfortable doing it online, go to the My Account section and click on Discount Telephone Line. Click the red button "Add a Local Line". Enter the state, facility, inmate name and id number, YOUR telephone number and...

The first thing to determine before any retrieval attempt is whether a restraining order or no-contact order exists as part of the assault case or as a condition of his parole or release. This is the most critical piece of information because approaching the apartment without knowing the answer could result in a new violation that sends him straight back inside regardless of his intention to simply collect his property. If a restraining order is in effect, he cannot go to...

Yes. InmateAid sends letters written in any language, including Arabic. The language the letter is written in does not affect how it is processed or mailed on our end. The one consideration is on the facility's side. Mail rooms at correctional facilities inspect all incoming mail, and letters written in a language the staff cannot read may receive additional scrutiny or be held longer while the facility arranges for translation. This is more common at smaller facilities with limited language resources....