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

The fact that you are asking this question at 15 already puts you ahead of where most people are when they finally decide to change. Most people wait until the consequences get bad enough that they have no choice. You are choosing before that happens. That matters. Here is the most honest thing anyone can tell you: look at who you spend your time with. The phrase that has stayed with me is this, show me your friends and I will...

Finding out why someone is in jail is more straightforward than most families expect, and there are several ways to get that information depending on how recently the arrest occurred and where they are being held. Call the facility directly. The jail where your son is being held can confirm that he is in their system and in most cases can tell you the charges he is being held on. Have his full legal name and date of birth ready when...

Do not deposit or cash the check yourself. It is not yours to negotiate, even with good intentions, and doing so could create a legal problem you do not want. The right process is to contact his counselor at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center and explain the situation. Tell them his paycheck arrived and you want to get it deposited into his commissary or phone account. The facility will instruct you to send the unsigned check directly to them. Once...

If this is a state charge, you can contact the Clerk of the Court in the county where they were arrested. If this is a federal charge, you can Google your inmate's name with the word "indictment" to see the FBI's statement on the charges. They love to brag about their conquests so there is no lack of publicity.   If neither of these work, you can use a pay service that has the most accurate and up-to-date arrest information nationwide. That cost...

Sixty days in county is manageable and the preparation you do now makes a real difference in how smoothly it goes. Start with the phone situation. Many Illinois county jails use phone carriers that charge over $13 per call, which adds up fast over two months. Before you go in, find out which carrier your specific jail uses and set up a prepaid account with them using the numbers of the people you call most. That way funds are ready and...

County jails have widely varying policies on care packages, and the first step is always to call the facility directly and ask what their specific rules are. Some jails accept packages from family, others only allow packages from approved vendors, and some do not permit outside packages at all. There is no universal standard at the county level. For facilities that do allow outside packages, items are typically restricted to approved clothing, hygiene products, and similar basics. Food is usually not...

The Supervision with Immediate Enforcement (SWIFT) Court is a specialty court to address the needs of offenders to divert them from the full criminal justice process.This court was designed to reduce recidivism rates of drug participants. This was later applied to probation violators, especially those testing positive for illicit drugs. If the failed drug test is their only violation, it's possible the judge will extend their probation, add some additional sanctions (community service) or counseling. However, they have probably given up...