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
To the physical address of the prison, not a PO Box. You MUST have the inmate's name and ID number for it to reach them successfully and without delay.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
There is usually some period of time where the inmate goes through orientation and subsequent approvals have to occur before visits and phone calls are allowed. If you call there and ask, you will get the timelines for these functions. Call 508-995-6400
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
Administrative Custody, commonly referred to as AC, is a housing status that separates an inmate from general population for administrative rather than purely punitive reasons. It is distinct from disciplinary segregation, which is imposed as a direct punishment for a rule violation, though from the outside the two can look similar since both involve restricted movement, limited phone access, and separation from the main population.
The reasons an inmate might be placed in AC are numerous. It can be used as...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
If you have entered the correct information for the facility and the inmate's name with their ID, you should have no problem with the delivery of that thoughtful gesture.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
At San Jacinto County Jail, there is no fixed amount of time an inmate will stay. County jails are mainly used for short-term housing, but in reality, stays can vary quite a bit.
Here are the most common situations:
Short stays (days to weeks):
For minor charges, bonding out, or quick court resolutions
Pretrial detention (weeks to months):
If the inmate cannot make bond or is waiting for court dates
Longer stays (months to over a year):
This can happen if:
The case is delayed
There are multiple charges
The inmate is...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
Yes, InmateAid can work with San Jacinto County Jail, but it is important to understand how it works.
InmateAid is not something the jail “uses” directly. Instead, it works alongside the jail’s existing phone system to help reduce costs.
Here is how it works:
The jail has its own phone provider that handles all inmate calls
InmateAid gives you a local phone number that matches the jail’s area
Your loved one calls that number as a local call instead of long distance
What this means for you:
You will still use...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
When an inmate's status shows as a Division of Corrections offender while they are still housed in a regional jail, it means they have been sentenced and formally committed to the state prison system. The regional jail is simply holding them temporarily until a bed becomes available at the appropriate state facility and the transfer is arranged.
So yes, in short, they will be moving to a state prison. The regional jail is a waiting point, not the final destination.
What the...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
Status labels in the correctional system can change as a case moves through different administrative stages, and those changes in wording rarely reflect anything meaningful about the inmate's actual situation. The shift from convicted felon to Division of Corrections offender is one of those administrative terminology updates that happens as the case transitions from the court system to the correctional system's own tracking and classification process.
Division of Corrections is simply the state agency responsible for managing incarcerated individuals after sentencing....
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
The Smarter Sentencing Act is bipartisan federal legislation that has been introduced and reintroduced in Congress multiple times since 2013. As of April 2026 it has not been signed into law, but the effort continues.
The bill's core purpose is to reduce mandatory minimum sentences for certain non-violent federal drug offenses. The most recent version would reduce mandatory minimums for certain drug offenses from 5, 10, and 15 years down to 2, 5, and 10 years, respectively. United States Senate Committee...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
There is no set schedule or guaranteed timeline for when a new inmate will meet with their counselor. It is one of the more frustrating realities of the system for families who expect the process to move on a predictable timetable.
Counselors and case managers in correctional facilities carry large caseloads and prioritize their time based on institutional needs rather than any order that makes obvious sense from the outside. New arrivals, classification reviews, release planning, disciplinary matters, and program enrollments...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
InmateAid does not issue refunds if an inmate is transferred before a letter is delivered. However, once you have the new location, InmateAid will resend the letter to the correct facility. Contact the support team with the updated address to arrange the resend.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
The insurance question is one that comes up frequently in situations where a judge has offered rehab as a condition of release, and the answer is straightforward but not what most families want to hear. Private insurance companies will not write a new policy for someone who is incarcerated or in active legal proceedings. That door is effectively closed.
What is available is the state-funded alternative. Medicaid and other welfare-based programs exist specifically to cover substance abuse treatment for individuals who...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
The information you can access depends on your relationship to the person and what specifically you are trying to find out.
Charges and case information. Criminal charges are public record in Illinois. The Jackson County Circuit Clerk's office maintains court records and can tell you what charges have been filed, upcoming court dates, and the status of the case. Many Illinois counties also have online court record search tools through the Illinois court system website at illinoiscourts.gov.
Sentence and release information. If...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
Yes, the discount phone service works in most county detention facilities, as long as the jail allows outgoing calls through a standard phone provider.
Here is how it works:
You are assigned a local phone number that matches the jail’s area
Your inmate calls that number as a local call instead of long distance
The call is then routed to your actual phone
What you still pay for:
The jail’s phone provider will still charge for the call connection
You will need to have an account set up with that provider
Where...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
When a judge says “credit for time served,” that time should be applied to the sentence, but it does not always show up immediately in the system.
In most cases, the sentence calculation is handled by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (or the state equivalent), and there can be a delay while records are updated.
Why it may not show yet:
Paperwork from the court has not been fully processed
Jail credit has not been verified or entered yet
The sentence computation is still being finalized
What he should...
Read more