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
You will have to decide that for yourself. The incarceration process goes through many phases. First there is the arrest, the offender is taken into custody and booked in the nearest county jail. The charges are documented and the offender is given a bed whether it is in a cell or a dormitory style setting with rows of bunk beds. The next step is the arraignment where bail is set by a magistrate. If the offender makes bail, then their...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
The cost to incarcerate an inmate is an amount that is never covered by an inmate's housing charge. Most institutions are not charging inmates but the ones that do collect very small amounts compared to the actual cost the confine a prisoner. Your example is just silly, and if the inmate has money on their books, EVERY institution will take an agreed percentage specifically for restitution. Policies for charging inmates are popular with taxpayers, but collection is dubious as the...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
Yes. While Colwell Detention Center operates as a standard detention facility, there is a portion of the PDC that functions as a boot camp program.
Boot camp programs inside correctional facilities, sometimes called shock incarceration, are structured around military style discipline, physical training, and intensive programming. They are designed to be demanding by intent. The idea is that a shorter but highly structured and physically rigorous experience produces better outcomes than a longer traditional sentence, particularly for younger or first time...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
No, normally there are no public juvenile incarceration records available. If a member of the site has created an InmateAid Inmate profile for a juvenile for their own benefit to utilize our service, and made it public, it is possible to review the information.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
The fire conservation camp inmates are lower security rated inmates that are given the privilege of working outside the walls of a standard prison. Their custody level is "minimum" which means there are no fences and very liberal incarceration methods. But, they are still inmates of the State and must not violate the trust that this custody level affords them. They have commissary to buy the essentials and extras that are on the list of available items. They may call...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
The simplest approach is to call the facility directly. Call the main number, which you can find through InmateAid's facility directory or the state department of corrections website, and ask the operator or whoever answers to connect you with the case manager or counselor assigned to your family member's housing unit.
Have your family member's full legal name and inmate ID number ready when you call. Most facilities assign case managers by housing unit rather than by individual inmate, so the...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
This depends on where you are doing your time. You might wear what looks like surgical scrubs in various colors, navy blue, green, white, tan or gray with the name of the jail stenciled on the back. You might wear an orange jump suit. Some county jails still have inmates wearing stripes (Maricopa County has them in horizontal stripes with pink underwear). In federal, you wear light colored khakis or olive green uniforms which define the level of custody you...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
no, even inmate's privacy is protected.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
No, CDs are not allowed. There are no CD players with which to play the music. Inmates may buy a radio to listen to music. Some state prisons are introducing a product from JPay that works like an MP3 player where inmates may download music for a fee.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
InmateAid's services are set up to work with each and every facility in the United States. We are not in contract to do business, we consolidate all of the services available and put them in one place for your convenience. What service were you looking to use to assist your inmate? We will gladly explain how that works and if it is suitable for your needs.
