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

There is no shortcut, but there are proven paths that consistently produce the best outcomes for early release. Here is what actually works. Protect good time credits. In the federal system, inmates receive roughly 54 days per year of sentence imposed as good time credit up front. That credit can only be lost through disciplinary infractions. A clean record is the single most fundamental requirement for the earliest possible release date. Every write-up is a potential setback. Complete RDAP if eligible. The...

Sending prescription glasses to an incarcerated loved one is possible, but the process requires coordination with the facility to make sure the delivery is accepted and reaches them. Getting the Prescription You mentioned the prescription is available from the jail, which is a good starting point. Contact the facility's medical department or records office and request a copy of the current prescription. Having the exact prescription in hand before ordering ensures the glasses are correct and reduces the chance of a rejection...

Inmates that have money on their inmate trust accounts can purchase stamps and envelopes at the weekly commissary. If they do not have money on their books, the prison will provide indigent inmates with all the materials necessary to send out mail to their loved ones. If your inmate writes to you directly, using your address, the cost of the mailing is a 49-cent stamp. Many of our members use the Inmate Response Mail service through InmateAid. Your inmate would write...

Being told you are on the list but still not being allowed in is one of the most confusing and frustrating visitation experiences families deal with and there are several specific explanations worth investigating. The most common reason is a scheduling or capacity issue. Many county facilities, including the house of corrections, operate visitation on a strict schedule with limited slots available per inmate per visiting period. Being on the approved list confirms eligibility but does not guarantee entry if the...

All of the parish prisons in Louisiana have daily recreation, they have TVs, they have some form of book exchange, others have a library - but boredom is an issue. The inmate that can compartmentalize their situation and block out the surroundings can get into a meaningful routine of self-improvement and actually come out of there a better, more rounded individual. You help by sending in reading material. That is one of the main reasons InmateAid exists is to make...

Illegal reentry after deportation is a federal felony prosecuted under 8 U.S.C. 1326. The sentence your husband receives depends primarily on his prior criminal history and the circumstances of his previous deportation. The Basic Charge - No Prior Criminal Record If your husband was previously deported and has no prior criminal convictions, the maximum sentence under the basic illegal reentry statute is two years in federal prison. In practice, many first-time illegal reentry defendants with no criminal history receive sentences significantly below...

Five weeks into the wait is not unusual and unfortunately not a sign that something has gone wrong. The Bureau of Prisons halfway house and home confinement approval process runs on its own timeline and that timeline is rarely communicated clearly to inmates or their families. Here is how the process typically works. Once the unit team submits a recommendation for Residential Reentry Center placement or home confinement, the paperwork goes to the BOP's Residential Reentry Management office for the region....

A 20 do 5 sentence means a 20-year sentence with parole eligibility after 5 years. It is a state sentencing structure that gives the parole board authority to release someone after they have served the minimum term, with the maximum being the full 20 years if parole is repeatedly denied. The 5-year minimum is the earliest possible release point, not a guaranteed release date. Whether your husband gets out at 5 years, somewhere between 5 and 20 years, or serves more...