LIVE ARCHIVE
UPDATED DAILY
Ask The Inmate. Real answers from people who've been there.
Ask a former inmate your toughest questions about jail, prison, visitation, phone calls, bail, and more. No charge. No account required.
- 5,528+ questions answered
- Former federal & state inmates
- Answered within 24 hours
- Always free
Recently Asked
Inmate Care Packages
How to Send Care Packages to an Inmate in Prison?
Sending a care package to someone in prison is not as simple as boxing up items and shipping them from home. Most correctional facilities do not accept...
Send Inmate Money
How to send money to a inmate in Jail or Prison?
Sending money to an inmate is one of the most practical things you can do to support someone on the inside. Money on their books gives them access to...
General Prison Questions-Terminology
"What is the difference between jail and prison?
Jail and prison are two distinct types of correctional facilities that serve different purposes, house different populations, and operate under different...
Inmate Phone Calls
How do I get a phone call from my husband who has just been transported there
When an inmate arrives at a new facility, phone access does not begin immediately. There is an intake and orientation process that typically takes one to two...
More Questions
How is the food my brother is eating, is it good?
The food in prison is generally not of the gourmet variety.…
The food in prison is generally not of the gourmet variety. The menus are set by a licensed and registered nutritionist using standardized tables for balanced meals. They provide about 2200 calories per day with a mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The main complaint is that the food is bland and lacks seasoning but it will fill them up. Commissary items are used to supplement the food they receive in the chow hall.
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
Can my inmate call my cell phone if I pay for the service? And how do I do so?
Yes, you can receive prepaid calls on your cellphone.…
Yes, you can receive prepaid calls on your cellphone. You cannot receive collect calls however on your cellphone. If you would like some specific information send us your number and the facility name - we will give you an honest estimate before you sign-up
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
If I paid for a postcard how and when does the inmate receive it?
Postcards are processed immediately upon entry unless after 6pm on Saturday, those will process Monday morning.…
Postcards are processed immediately upon entry unless after 6pm on Saturday, those will process Monday morning. We estimate that it takes 2-3 business days to make it to the jail. Once there, the staff reads each piece of incoming mail. 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 make no guarantees as to how long it...
Read more
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
How often are inmates successful with appeals in court?
If he has a good post-conviction attorney and the facts bear out as you suggest that might be a strong reason to overturn the denial of motion.…
If he has a good post-conviction attorney and the facts bear out as you suggest that might be a strong reason to overturn the denial of motion. Anything is possible but, the statistics are not in the inmate's favor as only about 10% of appeals are successful.
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
Can Prison Staff Throw Away an Inmate's Belongings?
Technically no.…
Technically no. Officially, yes, it happens anyway.
The rules are clear on paper. Inmates have a legal property interest in their personal belongings, including letters, cards, photos, and commissary items they have purchased. Correctional officers and facility staff are not supposed to destroy or dispose of inmate property arbitrarily. Most facilities have written policies governing how property is handled, inventoried, stored, and transferred when an inmate moves between housing units or facilities.
The reality inside does not always match the policy. Officers...
Read more
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
Can Inmates Keep Photos and Cards When Transferred?
Yes.…
Yes. Personal property moves with the inmate. When someone is transferred from one facility to another, their accumulated belongings, including photos, greeting cards, postcards, magazines, and other approved personal items, are packed up and travel with them. The same holds at release. Whatever they have been allowed to keep during their time inside comes home with them.
This is one of the reasons sending physical mail has lasting value. A letter or a photo is not just read once and forgotten....
Read more
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
Why can't the inmate search find my grandson?
The inmate profiles are set up by the member/users of the website.…
The inmate profiles are set up by the member/users of the website. We do not monitor, verify or update the profiles unless requested by the member/user. If you would like to create an inmate profile we would be happy to do it for you. Please send us the inmate's name, their ID number and the facility where they are incarcerated and we'll notify you when it's ready. If you need information on someone's whereabouts, we recommend using the Background Search button to...
Read more
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
What to Do When Your Court Appointed Lawyer Has a Conflict?
When a court-appointed attorney identifies a conflict of interest, which is exactly what happened here when the same attorney is already representing another…
When a court-appointed attorney identifies a conflict of interest, which is exactly what happened here when the same attorney is already representing another party in the same case, they are ethically and legally required to withdraw from representation. That is actually the system working correctly even though it feels like a setback in the moment.
The question of whether she has to wait until the December 31 bail hearing to get a new attorney is worth pushing back on rather than...
Read more
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
Do you get Notices of phone call access provided by your InmateAid account
No, the staff does not relay messages or information to inmates, it is against their policy to do so.…
No, the staff does not relay messages or information to inmates, it is against their policy to do so. You will have to get the number number to your inmate. If you are interested in using our [Letter Writing service](https://www.inmateaid.com/letters), please let us know via email and we will send you a coupon code to use it - for free.
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
How Can i get married with a inmate?
Yes, if your inmate has a long sentence you can contact the chaplain at the institution and have your inmate start applying for a marriage license.…
Yes, if your inmate has a long sentence you can contact the chaplain at the institution and have your inmate start applying for a marriage license.
Even mass murderer Charles Manson has gotten a license to marry a 26-year-old woman who visits him in prison. Each California state prison facility designates an employee to be a marriage coordinator who processes paperwork for an inmate's request to be wed. In most cases, the department of corrections approves of such weddings as "a...
Read more
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
If you're sent to the hole, how long do you have to wait before you're able to make a phone call?
SHU inmates get one 15-minute call per week…
SHU inmates get one 15-minute call per week
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
What is the cost of a collect call?
$15.00…
$15.00
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
Will it be easier for my husband to file for a divorce while he is incarcerated?
Someone will have to file the case in court and that does cost a little money.…
Someone will have to file the case in court and that does cost a little money. If he is able to have a lawyer do the paperwork, it would cost a couple hundred dollars. If he has a jailhouse lawyer file the papers and mail them from prison, it'll only be seventy-five dollars plus some bags of tuna for the inmate that did the work inside.
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
If you steal a car and go joyriding, how much time will you get?
This depends on his criminal history, was anyone hurt and how much damage was done to other's property.…
This depends on his criminal history, was anyone hurt and how much damage was done to other's property. Stealing a car is grand theft auto, and it's not a game. He will probably do some time but we are not sure how much.
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →
will he be able to call me if the jail changes carriers?
Yes he will, but he might have an issue if the new carrier has higher rates for a different set of numbers.…
Yes he will, but he might have an issue if the new carrier has higher rates for a different set of numbers. It is best to check with us so that we can match rate center with the new carrier. If there is a better option with a different number than the one we've provided, there is no charge for us to switch the number for you. Please send us the new facility carrier and we will check it for...
Read more
Answered by InmateAid advisors
Read full answer →


