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

What you are experiencing is very common in federal cases. The process moves slowly, and a lot of what is happening is not visible from the outside. What are you “waiting” for? In federal drug cases, there are several things happening behind the scenes: Discovery review where both sides go through evidence Possible plea negotiations between the defense and prosecutors Pretrial motions that can delay movement in the case Coordination with co-defendants, which can slow everything down When there are multiple people charged, the case often moves at the pace...

If your inmate was moved after you sent the letter, there is a chance he may not receive it. Most facilities do not forward mail to another prison or yard. What usually happens is: The mail arrives at the original facility Staff see the inmate is no longer there The letter is returned to sender In some cases, mailroom staff may forward it, but that is not something you can rely on. The good news is: If the letter is returned, it can be resent to the correct facility...

The service starts working very quickly, usually within about an hour after you sign up. Here is how it works step by step: 1. You sign up and complete payment Once your order is processed, a new local phone number is created for you that matches the area of the facility. 2. You receive your new number This is typically sent to you by email within about an hour. At that point, the number is active and ready to use. 3. You must give the number...

Yes. Gaston Regional Juvenile Detention Center, like virtually every detention facility in the country, has an indigent program that provides basic supplies for written communication. If a juvenile resident has no money on their account, the facility is still required to ensure they have a basic means of staying in contact with family. That typically includes paper, pencils or pens, envelopes, and stamps. The specifics of what is provided and how often vary by facility, but the underlying principle is consistent...

The diagnostic prison is to assemble information on the inmate for further classification, designation, treatment and programming. Your inmate may not be prison material but very few are when they go in.  There will be an adaptation period where he will need to keep to himself and observe the routine of others and find one that will best fit his personality and interests.  Prison is like a little town with everything that you would see in a community, just in...

In most state systems, inmates do not serve the full sentence if they earn and keep their good time credits. A common guideline is around 85% of the sentence, though this can vary depending on the state and the charge. For a 1 year sentence, that usually means: Roughly 10 to 10.5 months actually served The rest is reduced through good behavior credits Since this is his first time and the sentence is relatively short, he is in a better position to earn and keep those credits as...

Facility Procedures and Expectations for Visitors of the Illinois DOCOn your first visit to a facility you will be required to complete a “Prospective Visitor’s Interview” form. If visitors are provide false information on the form, visitation privileges may be restricted or revoked. IDOC staff has the right to interview or request background information from potential visitors to determine whether the individual would pose a threat to the safety or security of the facility or any person or to the...

His lifestyle is only going to change if he does steps necessary to improve his thought process. There is something that the therapists point to when assisting in rehabilitation: criminal thinking. Does your inmate have the capacity to look at himself and his flawed thinking. The inmate that can come to terms with his mistakes and face "change", will change. There are also other attitudes that an inmate must address as they go back to be a productive member of society -...

If an inmate is not a United States citizen, deportation after serving a federal sentence is very likely. Immigration and Customs Enforcement routinely places detainers on non-citizen inmates, meaning the moment they finish their sentence they are transferred to ICE custody and removal proceedings begin. A lengthy sentence combined with a prior criminal record makes deportation even more probable. Dual citizenship changes the picture significantly. If someone holds both U.S. citizenship and citizenship in another country, the U.S. government cannot forcibly...

The online transfer services will not accept international cards. InmateAid offers a solution for international members but since it is not part of our core business, the service fee for doing so is a bit pricey. We charge $15 for the service but you also will have to pay the transfer fee for the service that the jail uses plus a credit card processing fee - the last two components are not fees for InmateAid but are necessary to get...

When you add money to an inmate's phone account online, it typically posts almost immediately. Online deposits through platforms like Securus are processed in real time in most cases, which means your family member can often start making calls within minutes of the deposit being confirmed. For SCI Smithfield in Pennsylvania, Securus Technologies handles the phone service. You can set up an account and make deposits at securustech.net. When you add funds, you will need the facility name and your inmate's...

The phone service at the all of the jails and prisons are set up through bid process. Whoever has the contract for all inmate outbound calling and to tape record the calls has a monopoly contract. Therefore, you have to use them to receive calls. The choice is whether you pay them for a long distance call or a local call. The price is usually a pretty sizable difference Here is how it works... We get you a local line matching the rate center of town...

USP Atlanta is one of the older federal penitentiaries in the Bureau of Prisons system. The facility has been operating for well over a century and the age of the building is something inmates and their families notice. Older infrastructure means the physical environment is less comfortable than newer facilities, and the population density at Atlanta has historically made conditions more difficult than at some other USPs where housing is less crowded. That said, a few things remain consistent across all...

All inmates must go through the Admission and Orientation Program which is designed to help them understand their responsibilities and the rules of the institution. Each inmate will typically be interviewed by their Case Manager and Correctional Counselor within the first seven days after commitment to the institution. During their orientation, they will also participate in various lectures, examinations, tests, and interviews. This means that numerous staff members, at one time or another, will participate directly or indirectly in the inmate's...