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

The signs you are describing point strongly toward your brother being in the process of release or transfer. Here is what each one typically means. Commissary being turned off is one of the clearest indicators that an inmate is leaving a facility. When an inmate is being processed out, the facility closes their commissary account to prevent new purchases while the remaining balance is being calculated for transfer to a release debit card. That card is given to the inmate upon...

Whether someone can return to their home state after receiving probation depends on the nature of the offense, which state sentenced them, and whether they can qualify for an interstate probation transfer. The general rule When someone is placed on probation they are typically required to remain in the jurisdiction of the sentencing court. Their probation officer reports to that court and the terms of supervision are set by that state. Simply returning to another state without permission is a probation violation. Interstate...

FTC Oklahoma, formally known as the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City, is a unique facility in the Bureau of Prisons system. It is located on the grounds of Will Rogers World Airport and functions as a transit hub for federal inmates being moved between facilities across the country. Inmates arrive there when they are in between designations, meaning they have left one facility and are waiting to be transported to their next permanent placement. The BOP inmate locator showing your...

Yes on both counts and pursuing education while incarcerated is one of the smartest decisions any inmate can make, regardless of how many times they have been in the system. High school completion and GED Completing a high school diploma or GED while incarcerated is not only possible but actively encouraged and supported at virtually every correctional facility in the United States. The Bureau of Prisons requires federal inmates without a high school diploma or GED to participate in the literacy program....

The first few days are the hardest, and they are also the most important in terms of how someone establishes themselves in a new environment. What your son does and does not do in the first week will shape his experience for the duration. The most important thing he can do is keep to himself. Not rudely, not fearfully, just quietly. Greet people respectfully, do not engage in conversations about charges or sentences, do not accept anything from anyone without knowing...

When a jail releases someone to ICE custody, the transfer typically happens quickly, often within hours to a few days of the court order. ICE does not always announce when they will pick someone up, and the process is not publicly tracked in real time. The jail will hold the person until ICE arrives to take custody. Once ICE takes over, what happens next depends on several factors including the person's immigration history, how long they have been in the country,...

Supermax facilities, and ADX Florence in Colorado specifically, are designed around one principle: total control of the inmate's environment. Everything about the physical design and daily routine is engineered to prevent communication, coordination, and any sense of normal human interaction. Cells are small, self-contained, and deliberately disorienting. Natural light is limited. Inmates spend the vast majority of their time in solitary confinement, sometimes 22 to 23 hours a day, with minimal human contact beyond brief interactions with staff. The social deprivation...

This is a situation where the answer is technically possible but practically inadvisable, and the risks far outweigh any benefit. Co-defendants visiting each other is something facilities and prosecutors watch for specifically. The visitation approval process cross-references law enforcement databases, and if the connection between you and the inmate surfaces during that check, the application will almost certainly be denied. Beyond the denial, the attempt itself can raise flags with prosecutors who may interpret it as an effort to coordinate testimony,...

There is no policy that prevents someone with a felony record from writing letters to an inmate. That restriction does not exist. People with felony convictions can and do correspond with incarcerated people without any legal barrier to doing so. The rules you may be thinking of are two separate and distinct policies that sometimes get confused with each other. The first is inmate-to-inmate correspondence. Most facilities prohibit or strictly limit mail between two incarcerated people. If both the sender and the...

Gracias por sus amables palabras sobre el sitio. Aquí están las respuestas a sus preguntas. En cuanto al tiempo que debe cumplir, una sentencia federal de 24 meses requiere que el recluso cumpla el 85% del tiempo. Eso equivale a aproximadamente 20 meses. Si su pareja no tiene antecedentes penales y mantiene un buen comportamiento dentro de la prisión, no debería perder ningún crédito de buena conducta. MCC San Diego es una instalación federal, por lo que aplican las reglas del...

Yes. The written content of your letters is not restricted in the same way as photos are. You can write as openly and intimately as you want without worrying about the letter being rejected at the mail room. The distinction that matters is between words and images. Explicit written content in a letter is permitted. Explicit photos are not. Staff inspects all incoming mail, but a letter with intimate or suggestive written content will pass through without issue. A photo showing...