The criminal justice system has its own language and navigating it without a guide is disorienting for families encountering it for the first time. This section covers the terminology that appears in court documents, facility communications, and case records, from the difference between jail and prison to what terms like disposition, detainer, adjudication, and supervised release actually mean in plain language. It also covers general questions about how prisons and jails operate, what a typical day looks like inside, how different security levels function, and what the practical differences are between federal, state, county, and private facilities. The answers here are written for people who have no prior experience with the system and need clear accurate explanations without legal jargon. If you encountered a term you did not understand this is the right place to start. See also our sections on Law Questions and Legal Terms, and Sentencing Questions.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
Suicide watch is considered very serious and the treatment may be as extreme as being confined to a padded room with nothing in it, including clothing, if the inmate exhibits signs of hurting themselves.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
Thanks Nadja!!
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
WOW!! Thanks for the lovely holiday wishes. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays to everyone!!!
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Subject: General prison questions-terminology
Re-entry after tens years is going to take some time. He will most likely be in a halfway house for a few months to help with the adjustment. Everything is going to be brand new to him. Think about the changes in technology alone, he has a lot of catching up to do. You will have to be very patient. His internal clock, his routine for ten years is not going to fit right away - you're gonna have to...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
The calls are expensive because it is set up with only one provider. No competition makes it easy for them to charge higher-than-normal rates. It is predatory pricing, but there is nothing you can do about it except check to see if there are better rates with different telephone numbers. That is what our Discount Telephone Service does, it takes the second-guessing out of it. If you provide your telephone number and the location of your inmate, we will give you...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
Not unless you can convince a staff member to pass along a message. This is against the rules but it's only enforced by half the people working there, especially if it's a phone number or some tiny request that is similar.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
“Ask the Inmate” is not a direct communication link to a particular inmate; it is a question and answer forum between you and a former inmate who knows how things work on the inside. To communicate, you can write letters, postcards or send photos - you will have to go to your My Account area and click on the Inmate Page and then click "Letters". You will be able to communicate with them through there.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
State prison anywhere is no picnic. It is not the facility, it is the inmates that are inside. Inmates have to figure out how things works, just like on the streets. Most cases there is not much to worry about, but there are predators that will try guys to see whose soft, so they can take advantage of them. It is going to be all up to him, how he interacts, how he processes and handles situations where confict is...
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Send us the name of the facility and your phone number and we will give you an honest estimate whether our service will benefit you or not.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
that is not available for public release
