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

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice publishes information about transitional centers and reentry facilities through their Reentry and Integration Division. The most current rules, regulations, and intake guidelines for the Austin Transitional Center can be found on the TDCJ website at tdcj.texas.gov/divisions/rid/index.html. That page covers parole and reentry program information including what to expect upon arrival, what items are permitted, and how the transitional center operates. It is worth reviewing thoroughly before your son reports, as transitional centers have specific property...

Yes, several vendors specialize in prison-approved care packages, including holiday boxes and many facilities do allow them during specific windows around Thanksgiving and Christmas. The process works a little differently than standard mail and understanding how it is set up saves a lot of frustration. Most facilities that allow holiday packages contract with a specific approved vendor rather than accepting packages from just anywhere. The facility controls which vendor is authorized and what can be ordered through them. Common vendors used...

Yes to both questions and neither is as complicated as it might seem. Writing to an inmate you have never met is perfectly acceptable and happens more than most people realize. Pen pal relationships between inmates and people on the outside who found them through inmate pen pal directories, advocacy organizations, or personal research are common and in many cases genuinely meaningful for both parties. There is no requirement that you have a prior relationship with someone before sending them a...

This is one of the most urgent medical questions families face when a loved one with an active substance use treatment plan is about to be incarcerated and the honest answer is that it depends heavily on the specific facility, but the landscape has been changing in ways that are worth knowing. Historically many jails and prisons simply discontinued methadone upon intake, forcing inmates through withdrawal regardless of how long they had been in treatment or how stable their maintenance dose...

Aggravated assault is a serious felony charge, but the outcome for a first-time offender varies considerably depending on the state, the specific circumstances of the incident, the severity of any injuries, whether a weapon was involved, and the quality of legal representation. Here is a realistic overview of what the range looks like. At the lower end, a first-time offender with no prior criminal history, a strong defense attorney, and mitigating circumstances may avoid prison entirely through a negotiated plea that results...

Buenos días. Entendemos su confusión y estamos aquí para ayudarle. Hay dos pasos importantes que deben completarse antes de que su familiar pueda llamarle. Primero - comparta el número nuevo con su familiar Cuando se registró en el servicio de llamadas de InmateAid, recibió un número de teléfono nuevo por mensaje de texto y por correo electrónico. Ese número también está disponible en su panel de cuenta en InmateAid. Este es el número que su familiar debe marcar desde adentro de la...

The prison phone system does not send inmates a notification the way a bank might send a text alert when a deposit is made. They generally find out one of two ways. The most common way is simply by attempting a call. When your son picks up the phone and dials out the automated system will confirm there are available funds or minutes in the account before the call connects. If the balance was zero before and now has funds the...

Reception is a temporary processing phase that every incoming state inmate goes through before being assigned to a permanent facility and the privileges available during that period are more limited than what inmates experience in general population. North Kern State Prison is one of California's primary reception centers and the experience there reflects how the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation manages the intake process system wide. Phone access during reception is generally available but limited. Inmates in reception can typically make...

Maxing out a sentence means serving every day of the imposed time without parole, which most people assume means walking out the door with no strings attached. In many cases that is true. But a DUI conviction in another county while on any form of supervised release, including house arrest, creates a separate legal situation that operates independently from the original sentence being completed. Here is how this typically works. Even after maxing out a state prison sentence, a person can...