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

Yes. You do not need a traditional bank account to fund a prison phone account or add minutes for your loved one. Prepaid debit cards are the most straightforward alternative and they work exactly like a regular bank card or credit card when making deposits through prison phone providers like Securus, GTL, or ICSolutions. You can pick up a prepaid Visa or Mastercard at most grocery stores, pharmacies, and convenience stores, load it with cash, and use it to make deposits...

At low security federal facilities, the housing terms can be confusing because different facilities use different setups and sometimes different language for similar arrangements. Dorms and cubicles are open housing areas where inmates sleep in bunks within a large shared space. Cubicles are partial partitions that create a small defined area around a bunk without full walls or a door. They offer a degree of personal space without being an enclosed room. This is the most common setup at federal camps...

Most likely yes, but the situation deserves more attention than simply showing up again on the next visitation day and hoping for the best. Being turned away for contraband is not a minor inconvenience. It is a serious event that goes on record at that facility. Whether it results in a permanent visitation ban, a temporary suspension, or just a single turned away visit depends on what was found, whether it appeared intentional, and how the facility chooses to handle it....

Once an inmate is settled into their routine, the time goes by pretty quickly, all things considered. But, if you are close with your family, you will witness the time dragging on for them as there are greater hardships on your loved ones on the outside. The loss of income that is caused by the incarceration creates huge issues for the family trying to pay bills. That is tough on an inmate mentally carrying that baggage knowing what they did...

Once a letter is received, scanned, and uploaded to the InmateAid system so it can be delivered to the recipient, the original physical letter is kept on file for two weeks and then destroyed. The two week window exists as a buffer to handle any issues that might arise with the digital delivery, such as a recipient reporting they did not receive the letter or a question about the contents. Having the original available during that period allows any disputes or...

Yes. Many members use InmateAid as a virtual return address for privacy. Your inmate writes back to the same InmateAid address in Florida every time. Letters are received, scanned, uploaded to your account, and you are notified by email. Your home address is never exposed. If you send even one letter through InmateAid, the return address on the envelope will be InmateAid's corporate address in Florida. That address is fixed and consistent. It does not change from letter to letter. Your...

Most facilities require new arrivals to complete an Admissions and Orientation period before visitation is permitted. That process typically takes about two weeks, though there is no universal standard and some facilities move faster while others take longer. During that initial period, the facility is processing the inmate into their system, completing medical and classification evaluations, and establishing housing assignments. Visitation is generally not available until that intake process is complete and the inmate has submitted their approved visitor list. The most...

Yes, an inmate does not have to wait for a scheduled court date to request a bail reduction. There are ways to pursue it proactively through the court system without sitting on the calendar and hoping the next appearance comes quickly. The most direct path is filing a motion for bail reduction or bond modification through the court. This is typically done through an attorney who drafts and submits the motion to the judge handling the case. The motion lays out...

Marrying someone who is incarcerated is entirely possible but requires navigating a process that varies significantly by institution and jurisdiction. The steps below reflect the general framework across most facilities. Step 1 - Contact the facility. Start by calling the prison or jail and asking to speak with the chaplain or a staff member who handles marriage requests. Every institution has its own specific requirements and the chaplain is almost always the right first contact. Ask specifically what their process looks...

The phone service at the California State Prison - Sacramento is GlobalTel (GTL). Unless there is a disciplinary hold on your inmate, he should be able to make all the calls he wants provided he has funds on his books or in an Advanced Pay account. If you are long distance to Sacramento, the InmateAid Discount Phone Service is something you should look into. We can save about $4.50 per call instate and more if your are out of state....

We are uncertain about work release marriages - we do not think they will approve it. Usually inmates with less than a year on their sentence are not eligible to get married. To communicate with a particular prison or jail about information for a particular inmate in that jail, you will have to contact them directly. With so little time left before their actual freedom, other than probation, why are you rushing to get married? Why not wait so that...