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

Northern State Prison uses GTL as their phone carrier, which is the same provider used across New Jersey Department of Corrections facilities statewide. InmateAid's discount phone service works by providing a local phone number that forces the prison's carrier to bill the call at local rates rather than long distance rates. That difference is where the savings come from, typically more than $10 per call at facilities where long distance rates apply. However, the NJDOC system is structured differently. New Jersey has...

No. CDs are not accepted at any prison or jail regardless of how they are sent or who they are ordered through. This applies to all facilities and all vendors including Amazon. The reason is security. Physical media like CDs can be used to smuggle contraband, and facilities have eliminated them from approved property lists entirely. This has also become less relevant as the music industry has shifted away from physical media, but the policy stands regardless. If your family member wants...

InmateAid does not automatically notify an inmate when a profile is created for them. The notification comes from you. The most direct way to let your family member know their profile exists is through a letter. Write and tell them that you have set up a Personal Inmate Page on InmateAid, explain what services are available through the site, and let them know how to make use of it from their end. For federal inmates who have access to CorrLinks, the...

Magazines are one of the best things you can send an inmate, and there is a wide range of titles that are permitted at most facilities. The rule that applies almost universally is no nudity. Full nudity disqualifies a magazine from entering most correctional facilities regardless of how mainstream the publication is. Playboy, for example, is rejected at most facilities for this reason despite being a well-known title. For magazines with a sexier edge that stay within what facilities allow, titles like...

Adding a second or additional discount phone line is straightforward from your account dashboard. Here are the steps: Log into your InmateAid account and go to your Account Dashboard. Click on Discount Telephone. On the next page, click the red button that says Add a Local Line. Follow the prompts to complete the information for the new line, including the facility and the number you want the line to forward to. Once the new line is processed you will receive a confirmation...

Forgetting the inmate ID number on a letter is a common mistake and in most cases it can be corrected before the letter goes out. If you catch the error quickly, log into your InmateAid account and add the inmate number to the profile before the letter is processed. Letters are typically processed the following business day, so there is usually a window to make that correction. You can also contact InmateAid directly with the number and we will add it...

When an inmate transfers between state facilities, communication does not automatically carry over. Phone lists, visitation lists, and account access all have to be re-established at the new facility, and that process takes time. At most state facilities, expect one to two weeks before phone and visitation lists are set up and approved. Some facilities move faster, others slower, depending on staffing and the volume of new arrivals they are processing at any given time. The most reliable way to get a...

Finding out a release date after a parole hearing requires going through a few different channels depending on how quickly the system updates and what information is available to you. The most direct source is your family member themselves. The Judgment and Commitment document, which outlines the full terms of the sentence including any parole conditions and release date, is given to the inmate and their attorney. If you can get a letter to your family member now that you have...

When someone is taken into custody after a court hearing, there is typically a brief intake and orientation period before visitation is permitted. The exact timeline varies by facility, but most jails require new inmates to complete some form of intake processing before their visiting list is established and approved. At Harford County Detention Center, the process works like this: your fiancee will submit a list of approved visitors, and the facility will process those requests before any visits can take...

The timing can vary by facility, but most inmates are able to start communicating with family within the first 1 to 2 weeks after arrival. Here is what usually happens: Phone calls: The inmate must set up an approved contact list This list has to be reviewed and approved by staff Immediate family members are often approved faster Once approved and funded, calls can begin Letters: Inmates can usually send mail as soon as they have: Access to writing materials Stamps from commissary This often happens fairly quickly, sometimes within the first few days Possible...

When a letter is sent to the wrong department at the same address, what happens next comes down to whoever handles the mail on that end. The technical rule is that misdirected mail gets returned to sender, but in practice, particularly when both departments share the same building and zip code, mail room staff will sometimes recognize the error and pass it along to the correct department rather than send it back. There is no way to predict which way it...

How often inmates receive mail: Most facilities deliver mail Monday through Friday during daily mail call. The exact time varies, but it is commonly distributed in the late afternoon or early evening. Keep in mind: Mail must first be screened and inspected Delivery can be delayed depending on staff workload or security procedures About sending to the wrong location: Mail needs to be addressed exactly to the correct facility and include the inmate’s ID number. If you send it to: A different department A nearby office Or the wrong facility There is a good chance...

Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison is where newly sentenced Georgia state inmates go first for evaluation before being assigned to their permanent facility. Think of it as the intake center for the state system. Everything from medical evaluations to psychological assessments to security classification happens here before a permanent designation is made. How long does the stay last? There is no set timeline. Some inmates move through in a matter of weeks. Others stay for several months depending on how long...

Correctional facilities do not provide legal services for civil matters like bankruptcy. Inmates have access to a law library and in some cases limited legal assistance for matters directly related to their criminal case, but civil financial filings are handled entirely outside the facility. On whether your family member can file for bankruptcy while incarcerated, the short answer is that it is possible but not straightforward, and you need an attorney to confirm whether there are any impediments specific to their...