Ask The Inmate. Real answers from people who've been there.

There is no standard way to order food and have it delivered directly to an inmate, the way you might send a gift basket to someone at home. Most correctional facilities do not accept food packages from outside, and those that do have highly specific rules about approved vendors and items. The most universal option is funding the inmate's commissary account. Commissary is the store inside the facility where inmates can purchase food items, snacks, drinks, and other approved goods on...

Care packages depend entirely on the specific jail’s rules. Not every facility allows them, and if they do, they only accept orders from approved vendors. For Lamar County Jail, here is how to figure it out: 1. Check if they allow care packages Call the jail directly or check their website Ask if they use a vendor like iCare, Access Securepak, or a similar service If they do allow packages, they will tell you exactly which company to use. 2. If they do not allow packages Many...

You did not mess up. Drinking that ends up with violence is why there are jails. People who do not know better and need to be caged to protect those that beat their "loved ones". This is not something that will play well in front of a judge.You are not going to get the opportunity to say this in open court, and probably not smart to say it at all. The national pulse on domestic violence is not offering high tolerance, either.  If...

To find out your family member’s current status and whether parole is possible, you will need to go through official sources, not just the jail. Start with the court records: Parole eligibility is determined by the judge and written into the sentencing documents. This is usually called the Judgment and Commitment order. It outlines: The sentence Whether parole is allowed Any special conditions You can: Call the Clerk of Court in Maverick County Ask for case details and sentencing information This information is public and they can guide you Check with the...

A sexual act infraction is a formal disciplinary charge issued when an inmate engages in sexual behavior that violates facility rules. It goes on their disciplinary record and can carry real consequences including loss of good time, restricted privileges, placement in the SHU, or in some cases additional criminal charges. The two most common situations that generate this infraction are indecent exposure in front of staff and sexual contact with another inmate. Indecent exposure typically means masturbating in view of an officer,...

Not all inmates are misleading women, but it does happen often enough that you should be aware of it and protect yourself. When someone is incarcerated, they have: A lot of time Limited emotional connection A strong need for support, money, and attention That can lead some inmates to form relationships that feel very real in the moment, but are not always intended to continue after release. At the same time, there are also genuine relationships that survive incarceration and continue on the outside. Both things...

You are doing all of the right things to stay connected. If you start writing letters, there is lag time in the beginning but after the first one gets there, then there'll be a stream of consistent letters for him just about every day - if you keep writing everyday.  InmateAid's letter service is as fast as there is and VERY reliable. The photo feature is the most popular. Setting up a phone account can get expensive if you are...

Mail is considered sacred in a prison, detention center or jail.  InmateAid's service is not email; it is with the US Postal Service. Inmates do not have Internet access. We estimate that it takes 2-3 business days to make it to the jail. Once there, the staff opens and reads each piece of mail and inspects it for contraband. Any delay that occurs at the facility is out of our control. We make no guarantees as to how long it will take as there are thousands of facilities and...

Whether you can physically touch your family member during a visit depends almost entirely on the security level of the facility they are in. Contact visitation means you are in the same room with no barrier between you. A brief hug at the start and end of the visit is typically permitted, and you sit across a table or in chairs facing each other. This is the standard setup at most minimum and low security facilities, federal camps, and many county...

InmateAid's service is not email; it is with the US Postal Service. Inmates do not have Internet access. We estimate that it takes 2-3 business days to make it to the jail. Once there, the staff opens and reads each piece of mail and inspects it for contraband. Once they decide the mail is fit to be handed out at mail call, your inmate will receive it. Any delay that occurs at the facility is out of our control. We...

InmateAid's discount phone service works by providing a local phone number that reduces the per-minute cost of calls from long distance to local rates. The savings come from the difference between those two rate tiers. At Rikers Island, which is located in New York City, calls are already being billed at local rates because the facility is in the same rate center as most New York City phone numbers. There is no long-distance rate to reduce, which means an InmateAid local...

No, your husband will not be able to see photos posted on his profile. Inmates do not have access to the internet, so anything uploaded to an online profile cannot be viewed by them inside the facility. The only reliable way for him to see photos is: Sending them through the mail Using a service like InmateAid to print and deliver the photos Once printed and mailed, he will receive them as physical pictures during mail call. About rare exceptions: There are occasional situations where inmates get...