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
Usually there is no big difference except for the size of the palce. They are all confining, tough places to live for any period of time. Being locked-up is the same everywhere. If you are going to ride or die, then make sure you are sending him stuff to read. There is no better wqay to do your time then escaping through reading a good book.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
If this is a new sentence, he would be eligible for good time. If he went back in on a violation of the old charge, he might not be.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
Yes, the site is designed to be easy to use. If you are in need of assistance please email (aid@inmateaid.com) your concern or call **866-966-7100** - we would be happy to help.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
You can use the inmate locator that can be found on every one of the prison facility pages. Click the link and enter your inmate's name.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
Inmates that are incarcerated for a long period become institutionalized. They get used to having no responsibility, they are fed, housed and generally don't have to take care of themselves. They are told when to wake, when to sleep, when to eat, etc. The controlling of one's routine sometimes removes the desire of a person to get back into society and cope.
If there were more programs that focused on the inmate's reentry, focused on the vocational aspect of their...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
It depends on the violation, the judge hearing the case and if it's the judge that originally sentenced them the re-sentencing could be quite harsh. The time could be a few weeks and all the way up to the entire amount of the sentence that was remaining when they were granted parole.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
The Elmore County Jail in Wetumpka, AL accepts money orders ONLY
The Elmore County Jail in Mountain Home, ID accepts money orders ONLY
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
It depends on the inmate's location and if they actually allow care packages. Not all facilities have a relationship where care packages are allowed to be sent in to inmates. You might try calling the facility and ask to speak with the case manager, counselor or unit team secretary to get more information.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
Unsupervised work release is one of the most trusted positions an inmate can hold and reaching it says a great deal about the programming, conduct record, and overall standing the person has built throughout their sentence.
The arrangement works essentially the way it sounds. The inmate leaves the facility during the day to perform work in the community or on an approved work site and then returns to the facility in the evening. They are not accompanied by a corrections officer...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
This is one of those questions where the stated goal and the actual policy do not line up and you are right to notice the contradiction. The Bureau of Prisons does emphasize family connection as part of its reentry philosophy and research consistently shows that maintained family relationships reduce recidivism. The 300-minute monthly limit exists anyway and has for decades, driven more by institutional management, contracted phone system economics, and security considerations than by any genuine commitment to maximizing family...
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