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

When sending books to your husband, you must use his facility address, not your home address. Here is how to do it correctly: Enter your husband’s name and inmate ID number Use the prison’s mailing address as the shipping address Your name and billing address stay tied to your payment method Important rules to follow: Books must come directly from a publisher or retailer like Amazon Do not send books yourself. They will be rejected Choose new books, not used or third-party seller items Most facilities prefer paperbacks and limit how many you can send Shipping notes: The package will show: The retailer...

When an inmate is transferred, not everything follows them smoothly. Each category is handled differently: Personal property: Inmates are allowed to pack and transfer their belongings However, items are often lost, delayed, or limited during the move Extra commissary items and clothing do not always make it to the new facility Mail: Mail that is already in transit is usually NOT forwarded It is often returned to the sender You should start using the new facility address immediately Commissary funds: If the transfer is within the same system (state to state within the same department, or federal within...

At Odom Correctional Institution, it is normal for there to be a delay before your husband can use the phone. What happens after arrival: He must go through intake and orientation Orientation can take place anytime within the first few days up to a few weeks During this time, access to phones may be limited or not available Phone access setup: He needs to submit and get approval for his phone list Once approved, he can begin making calls About adding money for calls: If he is using the inmate-paid system (like Global Tel...

For Deuel Vocational Institution, you should send your visitation form to the mailing address, not the physical address. Visitation form mailing address: P.O. Box 400 Tracy, CA 95378-0004 Important tips: Make sure your form is fully completed and signed Double-check all required information to avoid delays Processing can take some time, so plan ahead before trying to visit If you want to confirm or speed things up: Call the visitation office at (209) 830-3900 (Friday mornings) Or email: dvivisiting@cdcr.ca.gov (Monday or Tuesday mornings) Visiting hours (once approved): Saturdays and Sundays: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM Certain holidays are also included Best advice: Wait...

At Minnesota Correctional Facility – St. Cloud, what you are experiencing is very common. Even if the area code looks local, the call can still be billed as long distance based on the rate center, not just the area code. That is why your cost only dropped slightly from $7 to $6.45. About your options: 1. Putting money on your phone account: Convenient and controlled Often more expensive per call, especially if billed as long distance 2. Inmate buying phone cards or using their account: Can sometimes be cheaper per call BUT: You...

Inmates make outbound calls. It is the responsibility of the inmate to add your number to his list. Depending on where he is incarcerated, you might have to set up a pre-paid calling account with the prison telephone company. If that is the case, you will have to fund this account for your inmate to call you. If you are long distance, the calls will range from $5-15 each; InmateAid has a Discount Telephone service that you can enroll in,...

You do not need to remove sewn-in hair extensions or weaves to visit a correctional facility. Permanently attached hair additions are not something facilities require visitors to remove before entry. What you should be aware of is that corrections officers conducting entry searches have the authority to inspect hair thoroughly, including running their hands through extensions or along the scalp, if they have reason to believe contraband could be concealed. This is not routine for every visitor, but it is within...

We do not have any service that provides for "witnesses" at a prison wedding. The correctional officer watching over the ceremony is as good a witness as any, and they are there at no charge to you. There is no transfer of debt in this country to a new spouse, unless you created the debt with your fiance prior to the marriage. The IRS can definitely garnish income taxes owed from whatever source the income is coming from including any tax...

All inmates have to have a job. The prisons work like a little community where the inmates work to make the operation and living conditions civilized. The prisons pay the most nominal of wages. For instance, the federal system has a pay scale commiserate with the type of work and the length of time in their job. Pay starts at $0.12/hour and tops out at $0.40/hour. They are paid monthly and it is deposited into the Inmate Trust Account for use at commissary, telephone or Corrlinks email...

Offenders/residents must participate in an orientation upon admission to any department facility. The department holds offenders/residents accountable for the information presented in orientation. The department must provide orientation to newly-committed offenders/residents within the first 28 days of admission. The department provides a supplemental orientation within the first 28 days of admission to adult offenders transferred from another department facility and adult offenders readmitted to a facility as a release violator without a new felony conviction. Adult offenders readmitted to a...

You should definitively call the facility first to see if they offer "special visits". Many times, the long distance visitors are granted longer visits if they set them up prior to arrival. Here are some general rules to follow and keep in mind before your visit. Dress Code Wear clothing that is appropriate for a large gathering of men, women, and young children. Wearing inappropriate clothing (such as provocative or revealing clothes) may result in your being denied visitation. Visiting...

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 none of them do things the same way. The only way you will know if when he responds, unless the...

Most inmates do not have access to the Internet or email, they receive letters through the US Mail. Mail call is done Monday through Friday only. Inmates that have money on their inmate trust accounts can purchase stamps and envelopes at the weekly commissary. If they do not have money on their books, the prison will provide indigent inmates with all the materials necessary to send out mail to their loved ones. If your inmate writes to you directly, using...