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

It depends on the facility. There is no universal rule, and policies vary considerably between county jails, state prisons, and federal facilities. Some county jails do allow family members to bring or send clothing directly, particularly for inmates who are awaiting trial and have not yet been issued a facility uniform. In those cases there are usually strict guidelines about what is acceptable, specific colors, no underwire, no gang-affiliated colors, and items must often be new with tags attached. Most state and...

A home plan being initiated eight months before the end of a sentence is a positive development. It signals that the Department of Corrections is beginning the evaluation of release options, a standard step in preparing an inmate for supervised release or parole. The home plan process involves a visit from a state representative, typically a probation or parole officer, to the address where the inmate intends to live after release. The purpose of the visit is to confirm that the...

InmateAid's discount telephone service is exactly what you need, and getting it set up is straightforward. Here is how it works. InmateAid provides you with a local phone number in the same rate center as your son's facility. Instead of your son dialing a long distance number and triggering expensive long distance rates through the prison's phone carrier, he dials the local InmateAid number instead. That call routes directly to your existing phone. The prison's carrier still handles the call, but...

Our service provides a local number to make the calls through the prison telephone service much cheaper than if your inmate is calling you long distance. You can call us and we can help you set this up 866-966-7100. If you are more comfortable doing it online, go to the My Account section and click on Discount Telephone Line. Click the red button "Add a Local Line". Enter the state, facility, inmate name and id number, YOUR telephone number and...

For Pam Lychner State Jail, the easiest way to send money is through JPay. Sending money: Go to JPay and create an account Enter the inmate’s ID number and facility Use a debit or credit card to deposit funds JPay is widely used in Texas and is usually the fastest and most reliable option. Visitation information: Visitation schedules and rules can change, so it is best to: Call the facility directly to confirm current hours and requirements Make sure you are on the inmate’s approved visitor list Ask about dress code and ID...

Buchanan County Jail is a smaller county facility, and smaller jails typically operate with phones accessible directly within the housing pod rather than through a centralized phone bank with scheduled access windows. In that kind of setup, inmates can often make calls throughout the day and into the evening as long as they are not locked in their cells. There is no set calling schedule posted because the phone is simply available when the pod is open. That said, there are...

Being placed four hours away when health issues make travel difficult is a genuinely hard situation, and the distance can feel insurmountable when in-person visits are not realistic. The good news is that proximity to family is a recognized and legitimate basis for requesting a transfer, and the Illinois Department of Corrections does process those requests. The standard waiting period before an inmate can submit a formal transfer request is six months from initial placement. That window exists to allow the...

Buenas tardes Jossie, La unica manera de que le podamos enviar el dinero es emitiendo una facture en su cuenta de InmateAid que una vez que usted page, nosotros nos encargamos de enviarle el dinero a la persona su esposo. Si usted quisiera mandar por ejemplo $100 tendria que pagar $31.63 de los cargos de transaccion y envio, esta seria la forma mas rapida de ayudarla. Por favor dejenos saber si quiere hacer el tramite. Gracias y que tenga buen...

A transfer to a fire camp is a positive development. California Conservation Camps, commonly called fire camps, are operated jointly by CDCR and CAL FIRE and represent a minimum security placement where inmates participate in firefighting and conservation work. The environment is meaningfully different from a traditional prison setting, and visitation at fire camps is generally contact-based, meaning you can sit together in the same room rather than through glass. The letter still showing Tracy and Deuel Vocational Institution as the...