Every correctional facility operates under a disciplinary system that governs inmate behavior and imposes consequences for rule violations. Understanding how that system works is essential for anyone trying to navigate incarceration successfully, because a disciplinary record can affect housing assignments, program eligibility, good time credits, halfway house placement, and parole decisions. This section covers what types of disciplinary infractions exist and how they are classified, what the disciplinary hearing process looks like, what rights inmates have when facing a disciplinary charge, what sanctions can be imposed including loss of privileges, solitary confinement, and good time forfeiture, and how to appeal a disciplinary decision. The guidance here is written for inmates who want to understand the rules clearly enough to avoid violations and for families who want to help their loved one protect their record. See also our sections on Prison Violence, Survive Prison, and Sentence Reduction
Subject: Prison discipline
Punitive segregation allows only one 15-minute call per week, however, they may write as many letters that they want.
Subject: Prison discipline
Our advice would be to speak with the chaplain first. Get a feel for the situation there, although the chaplain is an employee they usually have a level of empathy. If you find that the chaplain is helpful, then their advice should be followed. If you feel that the chaplain is not really listening, then you should take it to the next level and ask to speak to the warden. It is our experience that unless there is a mountain...
Read moreSubject: Prison discipline
Sometimes the inmates are unable to use the phone. It might be a group or individual punishment that is only temporary. If you go too long without hearing from him, you might try calling the facility and ask to speak with the case manager, counselor or unit team secretary to get more information.
Subject: Prison discipline
You might try calling the facility and ask to speak with the case manager, counselor or unit team secretary to get more information.
Subject: Prison discipline
Unfortunately the federal Bureau of Prisons does not have to tell the outside public anything that they are doing relating to inmate punishment or transfer. If your inmate is in the SHU, he is allowed one 15-minute phone call per week. He is allowed to receive mail and he is allowed to write. If you have spoken to your inmate's counselor or case manager (or unit team secretary) before that might open the lines of communication, but it is not...
Read moreSubject: Prison discipline
Probation violation / domestic violence charge could send him back to prison for the remainder of his term to fulfill the time he was granted in his probation. Plus, a new charge with violence might add considerable time as he is a repeat offender. The sentencing judges do not like to see an "old face" before them when there was some leniency granted the first time. The sentence for domestic violence could be ten years or more. If he went...
Read moreSubject: Prison discipline
Yes, that is generally accurate. Inmates housed in the Special Housing Unit typically receive very limited phone access compared to the general population, and a single 15-minute call per week is the standard in both California state prisons and federal facilities.
The SHU is designed to be restrictive by nature. It is used for disciplinary segregation, protective custody, or administrative holds, and nearly every privilege gets scaled back significantly while someone is housed there. Phone access is one of the first...
Read moreSubject: Prison discipline
The penalties for a failed drug test while incarcerated can be some or all of the following: significant time in disciplinary segregation (the SHU, the "hole", etc)loss of visitation, loss of commissary, loss of telephone use, loss of good time credits and possibly transferred to a prison with higher security which makes doing time even harder than it needs to be.
Subject: Prison discipline
The infirmary is primarily for medical and mental health care, but inmates can pass through there for other reasons depending on the situation.
If your friend was sent to the infirmary, the most common reasons are:
Medical treatment or evaluation
Mental health observation
Intake screening if there was a concern about their condition
That said, it is possible he stopped at the infirmary briefly on the way to another housing area, especially if staff needed to clear him medically.
Regarding the issue with having cash, that...
Read moreSubject: Prison discipline
Probably, but you need to consider why there was a protective order in the first place. This might be a good time to take inventory of your life and NOT go back to the person you needed protection from. Before you visit, ask the counselor or case manager if there are any lingering restrictions for visitation so that you do not make the trip for nothing.
