Speaking as a former inmate, I can say that "I've learned my lesson and I am very aware that the decisions facing me going forward will be made with a lot of contemplation about potential consequences." This was an expensive lesson for me, as time and money were wasted. I'm hoping that my recollection of being locked up is enough to make sure that all my decisions are good ones.

The facilities that allow for inmate marriages are mostly state and federal prison facilities for inmates that have reasonably long sentences. The INS detainees are usually in the privately run detention centers. We do not think that there are provisions for inmate marriage there, but we encourage you to call the facility and ask to speak with a case manager or chaplain to get all the details. We would not mention the part about "so he doesn't get deported".

Heart of America Correctional Treatment Facility has a contract with Securus Technologies - you have to use them to receive calls. The collect call is the worst way to do this so you want to get an AdvanceConnect account set up. Their rates are published on their website. Please let us know if you find that you are speaking more than once a week and its getting too expensive - we can help.

Inmates must submit to DNA testing at the request of the corrections officer. In the prison setting, all inmate's DNA is taken and placed in the national database.

You would have to check with the [inmate search](http://www.drc.ohio.gov/offendersearch/search.aspx) feature on the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections website

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. Once they decide the mail is fit to be handed out at mail call, your inmate will receive it. Please be patient, if the ID number and facility are correct we are 100% reliable. Mail call is Monday - Friday in most places.

No, all of the inmate's information is protected by the Privacy Act

We would estimate that there are 60 days left before his release

You should NOT put money on any inmate account if you do not know who that person is. This is an old inmate scam that somehow gets unwiitting people to fund "dummy accounts" which end up putting money in the inmate's commissary

The new retro active law for nonviolent offenders is a federal statute that is related to a change in sentence calculations for certain drug offenses. If this is a federal sentencing question, inmates that are eligible can apply with their case manager. They will know if your inmate's sentence is provisional for a reduction. The 50% and 35% you mentioned is not something we are familiar with.