Furloughs — Ask the Inmate
A furlough is a temporary authorized release from a correctional facility that allows an inmate to leave for a specific purpose and return by a designated time. Furloughs are granted for a range of reasons including medical treatment, family emergencies, job interviews, and in some cases, educational or rehabilitative activities. This section covers what furloughs are available in federal and state systems, how to apply for a furlough, what conditions are typically attached, what happens if a furlough is violated, and how furlough eligibility interacts with an inmate's security classification and disciplinary record. Furloughs are not available at every facility or for every inmate and the rules vary significantly by jurisdiction. The practical guidance here helps families understand what is realistically possible and how to support a successful furlough application. See also our sections on Halfway House, Work Release, and Release Questions.
Inmates wishing to attend the funeral of an immediate family member must petition the warden. The warden is the sole decision-maker whether the inmate would be permitted to leave the compound at all. If by rare chance that the request is granted, the inmate would have to pay for the Corrections Officers time who would be tasked with accompanying them.
Read moreFurloughs are when the inmate actually goes into the community for 24 hours, 3 to 5 days... They might be granted for a funeral or for an inmate with several weeks remaining in their sentence to assist in the re-entry process. Most prisons do not offer furloughs, and ones that do there it's a tiny percentage of eligible inmates.
Read moreThis depends on the custody level of the inmate and the decision for him to go is on the warden alone. Your nephew nephew to meet with his counselor and request permission for a family death furlough. The CDCR has this policy statement in their Operations Manual: A temporary community release log (TCL) shall be maintained in a designated location at all facilities. Custodial escort for a TCL is defined as a Department peace officer properly trained and certified in escort
Read moreFirst, you have to understand that this is not something that is granted often or to just any inmate. The inmate must be in a low to minimum custody classification with limited time left on their sentence. They must have a completely clean disciplinary record while incarcerated... and even that might not be enough to get a furlough to go to the funeral. Our advice is to have the inmate speak to their counselor and then their chaplain. It's not
Read moreThat is a damn good question! Back in the day, Atlanta camp gave furloughs like they were hot cakes. I did time with some guys that transferred from Atlanta camp. They described the nightly jaunts leaving the camp and going out and getting with their women and boozing it up. They would time it to come back before "count time" and would bring in food, cigarettes, weed and liquor. It was the wild west. Recently, the Atlanta Journal Constitution published a
Read moreMaybe, depending on his crime, his in-prison behavior, the length of time left on his sentence. Furloughs are rare but if he's been a model inmate there is a chance they escort him to the hospital bedside for a couple of hours, but they are not going to "let him out early" for this reason.
Read moreThere is no "rule" when an inmate might be offered a furlough. They tend to get approved for a weekend pass to an approved home a few weeks before they are actually released
Read moreThe answer is "sometimes". Depending on the length of the sentence, the type of crime, the level of custody and then there is the logistics for movement. If this were to be granted, the inmate might have to bear the cost of travel and to have officers accompany them.
Read moreYou will need to contact the chaplain, your inmate's counselor and then finally the warden (who make the final decision). If your depiction of your inmate is exactly as you describe, there is a very good chance that you can coax a furlough out of the warden. The minimum custody level give him the absolute best chance. Just start with the chaplain and they will give you your best path as they know the inner-workings of the facility he works
Read moreIt is our understanding that the penal system has no problem taking pregnant women into custody. Upon the time for birth, they will transport the inmate to a nearby hospital (medical furlough) for the delivery. Once the baby is delivered, there would be some prearrangement whereby a relative would take care of the newborn.
Read more