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
I was in federal, county and a private facility and there were female guards in all three places. It was uncomfortable in the maximum security setting as they oversaw the pod area, we had to shower in the open, right in front of their control room window.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
Do not deposit or cash the check yourself. It is not yours to negotiate, even with good intentions, and doing so could create a legal problem you do not want.
The right process is to contact his counselor at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center and explain the situation. Tell them his paycheck arrived and you want to get it deposited into his commissary or phone account. The facility will instruct you to send the unsigned check directly to them. Once...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
They are assessing the risk factors on the type of person they will be housing. The factors that make up the decision are the type of crime the offender was convicted of, the length of the sentence, whether that person is a first-time or multiple time offender, and is there violence in their history. The decision-makers compile all of these considerations and make a recommendation on the security level of the facility they'll be assigned to.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
Control review refers to the custody classification where the inmates will live and at what custody level. Each prison system has a process for determining where an inmate should be housed. Each facility within the system is operated on one or more custody levels. Inmates may be promoted to lower custody levels during routine reviews if considered appropriate. The custody levels are high or maximum, medium, low and minimum (camp).
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
Confinement in Response to Violation (CRV) centers house and provide intensive behavior modification programs for those who have committed technical violations of probation. CRV centers incarcerate violators for 90-day periods in response to violations of probation, parole or post-release supervision.
The CRV centers utilize dormitory style housing similar to a minimum-security prison and offer intensive programming designed to modify behavior of probation violators. Probation officers and case managers work closely with offenders as they progress through treatment and programming including cognitive...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
The honest answer is yes, and the people who come out of the experience having underestimated it are far more common than those who found it easier than expected. Jail is designed to be a consequence, and it functions that way in ways both obvious and subtle.
The most obvious element is the loss of freedom. The ability to go where you want, when you want, eat what you choose, sleep when you are tired, and make basic decisions about your...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
Every new arrival at a federal facility must complete an orientation period before any privileges are granted. This includes phone access, visitation, and in some cases, commissary. The orientation process at most BOP facilities, including Texarkana, typically takes about a week, sometimes a few days less and occasionally a bit longer, depending on intake volume and scheduling.
During that window, your person is getting processed, classified, briefed on facility rules, and assigned to their housing unit and work detail. Phone lists,...
Read moreSubject: General prison questions-terminology
There are computer labs for inmates to use but they are not connected to the internet. Some inmates gain access to the internet through smuggled smart phones but they are dangerous to be caught with them. Many do acquire them and almost all get thrown in the SHU and then shipped to a higher custody facility.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
InmateAid's services work with every jail, prison or detention center in the US. There are going to be varying discount amounts depending on the facility and carrier. You can always email us your information, we will give you an honest estimate prior to buying any service.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
If that inmate has the password for another inmate's account they can... they are not supposed to, but what the heck, they are in prison anyway
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
No - inmates cannot receive calls. Also, the guards are not supposed to pass messages to inmates. They do, but there is no way to know which will and which won't.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
That would be fantastic, but it is a rare occurrence when the inmates are allowed home cooked meals brought into visitation. If they are in a minimum facility (a camp), there might be circumstances where this could be approved by the warden.
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
Inmates are given an id number during their booking and admission into the detention facility
Subject: General prison questions-terminology
not sure, but it sounds right... but what sounds off is "a text from an inmate"... if he has a cellphone, it's a mistake because it could add time to his sentence if discovered.
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.
