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.
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Subject: Inmate transfer
There is no specific time set aside. They transfer the inmate to the jurisdiction where the judge sits and whenever there is a court date, he will be there. It might be a week, it could be three months we just have no way of knowing.
Subject: Inmate transfer
we do not have that information. they will not alert the outside when an inmate is set for transfer either, so that the safety and security of the officers transporting inmates remains at the highest level.
Subject: Inmate transfer
Yes, finishing reception and transferring to a mainline facility is a meaningful step up in terms of daily life and available privileges.
Reception centers like Kern are processing facilities. Their purpose is intake, evaluation, and classification, not long-term housing. The environment is restrictive by design because the facility is managing a constantly rotating population of newly arrived inmates who have not yet been assessed. Phone access, movement, programming, and privileges are all limited during that period.
Folsom is a mainline facility, which...
Read moreSubject: Inmate transfer
A transfer can go either way, and the reason behind it tells you almost everything about whether it is good news or bad.
Inmates get moved for two broad reasons. The first is as a reward for good behavior and program completion. When someone earns a lower custody designation, the system moves them to a facility that matches that lower security level. That kind of transfer means easier daily life, more privileges, more freedom of movement, and generally a calmer environment....
Read moreSubject: Inmate transfer
Inmates get moved for many reasons. Some of the reasons are actually good for the inmate. When an inmate has done a good portion of their sentence with little or no incident reports, they may qualify for a lower custody level which would gve them the option of moving to a less strict facility. This is known "stepping down" your sentence. Once an inmate is stepped down to minimum security status, theya re leigible for work release and very relaxed...
Read moreSubject: Inmate transfer
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice will not tell you the destination in advance, and that is standard policy across virtually every correctional system for transfers of any kind.
Transfer routes, destinations, and timing are kept confidential for security reasons. It protects the inmates being moved, the transport staff, and the integrity of the process. That information does not get shared with family members ahead of time regardless of the circumstances or how the question is asked.
SAFPF, the Substance Abuse Felony...
Read moreSubject: Inmate transfer
Fire camp is a miminum security prison in the CDCR. It is a perk for inmates to have a job that is outside the confines of the prison walls or fences. If your inmate gets to finish his bid at the camp, he will be released from there. Depending on the release conditions, he will likely have a probation officer that he reports to for a period of time. Some inmates get released into society straight from the camp, others...
Read moreSubject: Inmate transfer
Offenders are assigned to facilities based on custody classification, space availability, level of care designations (medical and/or mental health), and many other contributing factors. While DOC would like to make assignments with only geographical considerations in mind, it is not possible to do this based on the demand for beds in various areas of the state. As such, offenders are placed in locations that best meet their needs and the space needs of the Department. Written transfer requests should be...
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I feel like it has made me more aware of the world around me. Before incarceration I took for granted the wonderful sights and sounds that surround us everyday. Showering barefoot, using the bathroom alone, going to bed whenever it suits me, ice cream, kids laughing, fresh fruit... the list is endless and I am appreciating them all so much more than ever before. Therefore, I feel that the time I've done has helped me enjoy my life now and ahead more than I knew I could.
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call the facility
Subject: Inmate transfer
Visitation rules at juvenile facilities are significantly more restrictive than at county jails, even when the person being held is technically an adult. Juvenile halls typically limit visits to immediate family members only, meaning parents and sometimes siblings. Friends, significant others, and extended family are generally not permitted regardless of the inmate's age.
The reasoning is that juvenile facilities are designed to protect and rehabilitate young people, and controlling outside contacts is part of that environment. An adult housed there for...
Read moreSubject: Inmate transfer
Two things commonly hold up transfers to treatment facilities: overcrowding and detainers. If the treatment facility is at capacity, incoming transfers get backed up in county until a bed opens. That can take weeks or longer, depending on how the facility manages its population. There is no reliable way to rush it from the outside.
The other possibility is a detainer, which is a legal hold placed by another jurisdiction that has pending charges or a warrant against your son. Detainers...
Read moreSubject: Inmate transfer
There is no set timeline. Extradition between states moves on a bureaucratic schedule that operates quietly and unpredictably, and the inmate and their family are almost never given advance notice. Security reasons drive that secrecy. One day the person is in Missouri, and the next they are gone.
The process requires Illinois to formally request the transfer, arrange transport officers, and coordinate logistics with Missouri. That back-and-forth can take weeks or months depending on the priority level of the case and...
Read moreSubject: Inmate transfer
Depends ont he arrangement they have with the US Marshal service. MOST county jails only temporarily hold federal inmates until they are taken to a privately contracted facility or their designation within the BOP.
Subject: Inmate transfer
Whan an inmate is told by the guards to "pack your $#&@" that means they are heading to A & O to be processed for transfer. What the inmate packs out is anything tangible that was collected while incarcerated. Things like books, magazines, letters and the clothing bought at commissary, food stuffs are not normally allowed. This "pack" is transferred separately and delivered to the inmate's new location where they will receive it.
