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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.

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Subject: Send inmate mail

Calendars are not accepted at most correctional facilities, and a personalized calendar with photos is likely to be rejected at the mail room regardless of how it is packaged or sent. The reasons facilities restrict calendars vary, but the most common concerns are the binding, the thickness, and the potential for concealment of contraband within the pages or spine. Some facilities also have blanket restrictions on items that could be used to track dates or coordinate activity, though this

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Subject: Commissary

The commissary is priced similarly to a normal grocery store. Some items are more expensive, some are less expensive and there are always going to be people that say it's "too expensive". But, every inmate looks forward to their commissary day (one designated day per week).  Depending on where your inmate is, inmates may spend about $200 - $300 per month on the commissary

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Subject: Commissary

This depends on where your inmate is incarcerated. Many facilities have the commissary on premises and you just add money to their trust account - they shop for themselves once a week. Let us know the name of the prison or detention center and we will see if there are any other alternatives.

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Subject: Inmate phone calls

Our service provides a local number to make the calls through the prison telephone service much cheaper than if your inmate is calling you long distance. You can call us and we can help you set this up 866-966-7100. If you are more comfortable doing it online, go to the My Account section and click on Discount Telephone Line. Click the red button "Add a Local Line". Enter the state, facility, inmate name and id number, YOUR telephone number and

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Subject: Relationship issues

The first thing to determine before any retrieval attempt is whether a restraining order or no-contact order exists as part of the assault case or as a condition of his parole or release. This is the most critical piece of information because approaching the apartment without knowing the answer could result in a new violation that sends him straight back inside regardless of his intention to simply collect his property. If a restraining order is in effect, he cannot

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Subject: Send inmate mail

Yes. InmateAid sends letters written in any language, including Arabic. The language the letter is written in does not affect how it is processed or mailed on our end. The one consideration is on the facility's side. Mail rooms at correctional facilities inspect all incoming mail, and letters written in a language the staff cannot read may receive additional scrutiny or be held longer while the facility arranges for translation. This is more common at smaller facilities with limited

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Subject: Commissary

For Pam Lychner State Jail, the easiest way to send money is through JPay. Sending money: Go to JPay and create an account Enter the inmate’s ID number and facility Use a debit or credit card to deposit funds JPay is widely used in Texas and is usually the fastest and most reliable option. Visitation information: Visitation schedules and rules can change, so it is best to: Call the facility directly to confirm current

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Subject: 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

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Subject: Commissary

It depends on the security classification of the prison/detention center. Some are strict no-contact visitations and others have a picnic-like setting where you can interact and have light contact, even enjoying snacks from a variety of vending machines.

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Subject: Sentence reduction

At Pleasant Valley State Prison, your son’s father is under California state rules, which are different from federal sentencing changes you may have heard about. About the “1/3 time” you mentioned: That type of reduction is often misunderstood. In California: Inmates earn credits based on classification, behavior, and program participation Those credits are already factored into the projected release date you see If applying a different formula would result in a later release date, it will not be used.

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