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

In most cases, no. Federal prisons and the majority of state prison systems require visitors to be pre-approved before they can enter. The approval process typically involves the inmate submitting your name to their counselor or case manager, a background check on your end, and formal clearance before your first visit. Showing up without prior approval almost always means being turned away at the door. County jails vary more. Some smaller county facilities allow walk-in visits without a pre-approved list, particularly...

Any of the state SCI facilities in Pennsylvania are serious institutions. It is possible that your son has been in a few fights or so if he's been in the RHU a few times. But we are not wanting to alarm you becasue it is also possible he beat up someone, instead. The RHU is either for disciplinary reasons or adminstrative reasons. The latter could be protective custody, but we do not think that is the case or he would...

The RHU is the same thing as the SHU, it's all about solitary confinement. I have been in there three times in federal, you're not gonna get BS from me. I don't know about horror stories, but isolation is no picnic. What are your expectations, for someone to tell you it's great? Inmates get sent to the SHU for a variety of reasons. In most cases, it is a merited punishment for some rule violation. The more serious the infraction, the...

You will need to be accompanied by an adult. Correctional facilities do not allow minors to visit on their own regardless of the reason for the visit or how well you know the inmate. This applies at virtually every jail, prison, and detention center in the country. The adult accompanying you should ideally be a parent or legal guardian. Some facilities will accept another responsible adult in that role, but the closer the family relationship, the smoother the approval process tends...

The felony record is going to make this a more involved process than a standard application, but it is not automatically disqualifying, and you have two significant factors working in your favor. Five years clean with no new charges shows a track record of compliance since release, and being the mother of his children gives the warden's office a concrete, child-centered reason to approve the visits. Arizona State Prison Complex facilities understand that children need access to incarcerated parents, and the...

The inmates are all treated basically the same. The ones that have a harder time inside are making it hard on themselves. If you look for conflict and confrontation, you are in the right place. There is plenty of trouble to get into if you act up. Generally speaking it's not like you see on television - you get three square meals and a bed to sleep on. You have a menial job and lots of time to kill. Boredom is the...

When an inmate has a history of being a corrections officer, especially with a charge as serious as child abuse, it is highly likely that the correctional facility will take extra measures to ensure his safety. Here's what you can expect regarding his placement: 1. Protective Custody (PC): High Risk for Harm: As a former corrections officer and someone facing a child abuse charge, your inmate-to-be will be at a higher risk of harm from other inmates. Child abuse charges are often...

Selection for work release at Cobb County is not automatic and it is not something an inmate applies for in a formal sense. It is something they earn through consistent behavior that the staff and counselors observe over time. The baseline requirements are a clean disciplinary record, demonstrated engagement with programming, and visible effort toward preparation for reentry. An inmate who has write-ups, who avoids programming, or who keeps to themselves in a way that gives staff nothing positive to observe...

Visitation at Rio Grande Detention Center follows the standard process for GEO-operated immigration detention facilities. Visitors need to be on the inmate's approved visitor list, bring valid government-issued photo identification to the visit, and comply with the facility's dress code and conduct policies. The inmate is responsible for initiating the approval process by submitting visitor information through their case manager or counselor. On the felony conviction question: prior felonies do not automatically disqualify someone from visiting, but they do require warden-level...

Yes, this might help slow down the introduction of drugs into the prison system. But they are in a union and getting "strip searches" approved as a daily function of their job is VERY unlikely to happen. The inmates that keep them in business are equally to blame. We would rather promote how an inmate can use their time of incarceration to lift themselves above what got them in there in the first place. Staying in the drug game is...

County jail meals are not going to impress anyone. A plate of rice, peas, and a roll is a real meal by institutional standards, even if it would not pass muster anywhere else. Jails operate on tight budgets and nutrition is managed to minimum standards, not maximum enjoyment. Meat appears on the menu with some regularity but not at every meal, and there will be days that feel very lean. That is the reality of county jail food across the...

The food is as you'd imagine, it's pretty basic. There are inmates that come out super skinny but others can gain significant weight becasue they serve a lot of starches - they're very cost effective buying in bulk (rice, wheat, corn). There is a minimum calorie standard that they use to create the meal plans. The quality of the food is related to the budget they work with. Federal has the biggest budget and the best food. The misnomer is...