An inmate transfer can happen with little or no warning and the period of silence that follows, when families do not know where their loved one is or how to reach them, is one of the most anxious experiences in the entire incarceration journey. This section covers why transfers happen, how the transfer process works in federal and state systems, what diesel therapy is and why it occurs, how long the transit period typically lasts, why an inmate may temporarily disappear from the BOP locator during a transfer, and what families can do to locate their loved one and restore communication as quickly as possible. The guidance here comes from real experience with the transfer process, including what it feels like from inside and how families on the outside can best support someone going through it. See also our sections on Inmate Search, Inmate Phone Calls, and Send Inmate Mail.
Subject: Inmate transfer
Inmates get transferred for many different reasons. If an inmate is transferred further from home it is usually done as a punishment for some serious rule violation. But it can also be that the inmate requested it. Or, it can be that the inmate is ready for the drug program and the new facility has the room for them.
Subject: Inmate transfer
As an inmate does his time and is not receiving any incident reports, their custody level will change for the better. That is the incentive for an inmate to maintain good behavior. The lower the level of custody, the easier their time is. The higher security facilities have inmates with long sentences and not much to lose when it comes to igniting situations with rule breaking or violence. Inmates that want to go home follow the rules and get rewarded...
Read moreSubject: Inmate transfer
They post the inmate's new location after the inmate is there. They will not notify you when they are doing a transfer nor will they notify you where - this is for security reasons.
Subject: Inmate transfer
Either by asking the inmate, asking someone at the facility where you know them to be or check the inmate search online to see if there is a change. Unless you are a victim, you will not be notified of an inmate's movement, you have to check for yourself.
Subject: Inmate transfer
My inmate is in solitary and has anxiety issues, is there anything we can do to get him transferred?
There is very little you can do about the housing situation of an inmate. The designation is decided and approved by the administration and they internally document their reasons for every decision. These decisions are not available to the public. Once an offender is the property of the state, there is nothing an outside influence can change. He may petition his case manager for a transfer but the status of SHU is not available for appeal.
If he has been locked...
Read moreSubject: Inmate transfer
You can login to your My Account dashboard, where you may click on Inmates I'm Following and change the facility where they were transferred. The system knows the address, and it will change along with the location.
Subject: Inmate transfer
Yes, inmates may transfer after 6 - 9 months with no incident reports. The facility that your inmate wants to transfer to must fit the security protocol. Each jail or prison is rated from high security, to medium security, to low security and then minimum security. The inmate's classification must fit the level of the institution to be eligible for transfer there. Sometimes, there is no bed space and with only three years to do, they might never get to...
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You might try calling the facility and ask to speak with the case manager, counselor or unit team secretary to get more information.
Subject: Inmate transfer
Inmate Transfer has a couple of components that require compliance on the part of the inmate. We would not know if he is in good standing with zero incident reports or not. If the security level that he is in (and designated to) is different than the institution he wants to be moved to then it may never happen. It is our experience that any pressure exerted from the outside creates more pressure on the inmate inside. The staff normally...
Read moreSubject: Inmate transfer
Inmates that transfer within the same system, i.e. state prison or federal, all of their property will transfer with them. They might not arrive the same day but they will get all of their personal items that they have accumulated from commissary and incoming mail.
