Just thought of a question?

Have a question?

Ask The Inmate

Ask a former inmate questions at no charge. The inmate answering has spent considerable time in the federal prison system, state and county jails, and in a prison that was run by the private prison entity CCA.

Ask your question or browse previous questions in response to comments or further questions of members of the InmateAid community.

Subject: Treatment vs.incarceration

Yes, and the system is actually set up to assess this from the very beginning. When a new inmate arrives and goes through orientation, the facility conducts a thorough intake screening that covers physical health, mental health, and substance abuse history. This is not optional and it is not superficial. The results of that screening directly influence where an inmate gets placed and what programming they are assigned to. If the assessment identifies a serious addiction that needs immediate

Read more
Subject: General prison questions-terminology

it is very different because the feds have a bigger budget. the guards are better paid and very well trained. The food is better, the recreation and housing is more updated. Some state prisons in the south do not even have air conditioning.

Read more
Subject: Send inmate mail

Yes, handwritten letters are generally accepted at Arizona State Prison Complex facilities including the Flamenco unit, and standard notebook paper is typically fine. That said, every unit within the Arizona Department of Corrections has its own specific mail guidelines, and Flamenco houses a specialized population which can mean additional restrictions beyond what a standard unit allows. Before you send anything, it is worth calling the facility directly or checking the ADCRR website to confirm the current mail rules for

Read more
Subject: Inmate transfer

If Butner is the facility listed on his sentencing paperwork, that is where he is going. The Bureau of Prisons follows through on designations. Tallahatchie is simply a holding point while the transfer logistics get arranged. What you will not get is any advance notice of when it happens. That is by design. Transfer dates, times, and routes are kept confidential for security reasons. The facility will not tell you, and your son likely will not know until the

Read more
Subject: Send inmate mail

This is a situation that requires you to move carefully, because the rules around parolees contacting current inmates are strict and the consequences of getting it wrong fall on both of you. The fact that you are not legally married complicates things further. Facilities give more latitude to spouses than to partners or significant others, and without that legal tie the approval process has less of a foundation to work from. The right way to approach this is

Read more
Subject: Inmate search

Offender Number: 225319 Offender Name: VICTORIA ASHLEY MENDOZA Inmate Profile link:  https://www.inmateaid.com/inmate-profiles/victoria-mendoza-225319 DOB: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 Height: 5 Feet 7 Inches Weight: 130 Sex: F Location: UTAH STATE PRISON Housing Facility: TIMPANOGOS Parole Date: N/A Aliases: GEHAZI VICTORIA ASHLEY MENDOZA V ZUNU

Read more
Subject: Inmate services & supplies

only the price of a stamp... (even inmates with no money on their books can get stamps from the institution as they offer for indigent inmates.)

Read more
Subject: Relationship issues

Inmates with high public profiles receive more attention than most people realize. Letters, emails, and pen pal requests come in regularly for anyone whose name carries recognition, and standing out in that crowd takes more than enthusiasm. The most straightforward approach is a well-written letter that says something real. Not flattery, not obsession, just a genuine introduction that gives her a reason to write back. Inmates have time to read, and a letter that is honest, interesting, and respectful

Read more
Subject: Inmate phone calls

  There are over 18,000 prisons and jails and about 25 separate phone carriers that contract with individual facilities. In almost every case, there is a wide price variance depending on your location. In federal prison, the rates are six cents per minute for a local number, 21 cents per minute for a long-distance call. Any local number will help a federal inmate save money. We issue the local line, they give it to the inmate who

Read more
Subject: Relationship issues

Conjugal visits, officially called extended family visits or family reunion programs depending on the state, are available in only four state prison systems in the United States: California, Connecticut, New York, and Washington. The federal system does not offer them at all. If your person is housed anywhere outside those four states, the program simply does not exist where they are. Even in states where conjugal visits are permitted, eligibility is not automatic. Inmates typically need to be in

Read more
Search Arrest Records