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

Access to higher education during incarceration has expanded significantly in recent years, and the range of programs available to inmates is broader than most families expect. Most traditional undergraduate degree tracks can be pursued from inside a correctional facility through universities that have developed dedicated prison education programs. Louisiana State University is one of the more well-known examples, offering coursework specifically structured for the incarcerated population. But LSU is far from the only option. Programs exist across the country at both...

Commissary spending limits exist at every level of the correctional system and are enforced regardless of how much money is sitting in the inmate's trust account. Having a fully funded account does not mean unlimited spending. The caps are in place to manage inventory, reduce conflict over goods, and prevent any single inmate from accumulating disproportionate amounts of commissary items that could be used for bartering or pressure. In the federal system, the Bureau of Prisons sets a monthly spending limit...