Subject: Send inmate mail
Suggestive photos are generally permitted as long as strategic areas are covered. Bikini photos are typically accepted. See-through lingerie or fully revealing images will be rejected by the mailroom. When in doubt, keep it tasteful enough that it would pass a family photo standard.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
Phone numbers purchased through InmateAid are processed overnight and assigned by 7am the following morning depending on where your order falls in the processing queue.
What Happens After You Purchase
Once your order is complete it enters the overnight processing queue. Numbers are assigned and activated in the order they are received. If you purchased early in the day your number will typically be ready by 7am the next morning. If you purchased late in the evening it may take until the...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
International calls from US correctional facilities are handled at the carrier level and GTL in particular can be inconsistent in how they explain the options to international callers. Getting different answers from the same company is frustratingly common.
Here is the most reliable solution for your situation.
The US Number Solution
The cleanest way to receive calls from a US federal or state facility to a UK number is to obtain a US phone number and have it forwarded to your mobile. Here...
Read moreSubject: Bail & bond questions
What your husband is likely referring to is called a recognizance bond or a supersedeas bond, sometimes also called a transfer bond or an appeal bond depending on the state. The concept is that an already-sentenced inmate can in some circumstances be released on bond to await transfer to the state prison system rather than sitting in a county jail indefinitely.
Whether this is available in Arkansas depends on the specific circumstances of the case, the judge who sentenced him, and...
Read moreSubject: Commissary
Commissary setup is not a complicated process but it does require knowing the right channel for the specific facility your inmate is at, since each facility works with a contracted provider that handles trust account deposits.
The inmate trust account is essentially a personal spending account that lives inside the correctional system. Money deposited into it does not go directly to the inmate in cash. Instead it sits as a balance the inmate can draw from when they place a commissary...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
If you are already in the same city as your sister and your number is considered local to the jail, then the discount phone service likely will not benefit you.
Here is why:
Jails contract with a single phone provider for all inmate calls
That provider charges different rates for local vs long distance calls
The discount service works by giving you a local number to reduce long distance costs
In your case:
If your number is already local, your sister is already calling you at the lowest available rate
There is no long...
Read moreSubject: Prison violence
All jails and prisons are tough. The experience is up to the inmate and how they deal with other inmates. If they are mouthy or confrontational, this is going to be a long, rough bid. If the inmate is willing to let the small stuff slide,go about their business and keep to a routine bothering no one, then it will be smooth sailing. Some of the prisons with the worst reputations are not hard on every inmate. Reputation is about...
Read moreSubject: Family services
Whether there is a play area for kids during visits depends on the facility and its security level.
Lower security facilities (like camps or some low-security prisons):
Often have a more relaxed visitation setting
May include a small play area, toys, or space for children
Visits can feel more family-friendly
Higher security prisons and most jails:
Much more controlled environment
Kids are usually expected to stay seated with the visiting adult
Toys, strollers, and movement may be limited or not allowed
The main reason for stricter rules is safety and supervision. Staff have...
Read moreSubject: Medical treatment
A dental abscess is not a minor complaint. Left untreated, an abscess can spread infection to the jaw, neck, and in serious cases to the heart. This is a recognized medical emergency and your son has a constitutional right to adequate medical and dental care under the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Deliberate indifference to a serious medical need by prison staff is a civil rights violation.
Here is how to escalate this effectively and quickly.
Contact the case...
Read moreSubject: 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...
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