Blog / Inmate & Family Issues

Prison Mail: Can I Send Newspaper Articles About His Charges To Him?

If you live in a small town or he is charged with a large crime, there is a good change that at least a blurb if not an entire article has appeared in the local newspaper. It might also be linked to the local news website.  Some inmates would rather ... Read more

Jail Calls: More charges after he called me from jail, why?

Many times when a loved one is arrested and taken to jail, there isn’t time to ask for details. He is put in a squad car and driven away, leaving you wondering why he was accused, what evidence they have and whether or not he did it. But be very care... Read more

With Boyfriends in Jail or Prison, What Should You Wear to Visit?

Having a boyfriend in jail or prison sets you apart from others. You aren’t single, so hitting the clubs, going on dates or other activities reserved for the unattached are out. Then again, you really aren’t a couple at the moment because he can’t ta... Read more

Can Hospitalized Inmates Have Visitors?

An inmate who is housed with your boyfriend in jail just called, telling you that your boyfriend has been rushed to the hospital. County jails don't usually notify family members when an inmate is furloughed out to a hospital, but another inmate migh... Read more

How do I tell my teens their parent is in jail?

The adolescent years are filled with hormones, angst and drama. When a teen discovers that one of their parents is in jail, ail of their difficulties go into overdrive. A teenager will usually worry about what is happening to the jailed parent and ho... Read more

Parental incarceration: How to tell young children a parent is in jail or prison?

The children know he is gone but they aren’t sure where. Why doesn’t he come home or come to see them? When a parent gets locked up, letting children make their own assumptions is worse than  giving them honest information.  Left to their imagination... Read more

Administrative Segregation: Is it the Same Thing as Being in the Hole? Will My Inmate Be Mistreated or Abused?

Your inmate wrote to you and told you he is in the Hole. What this means is that he has been removed from the jail's general population and placed either in solitary confinement or in a special area with only a few inmates and lots of guards. He may ... Read more

Inmate Mail: When I Write Letters to Someone in Jail, Can They Use What’s In those Letters Against An Inmate?

In a word, yes. Assume that nothing is private. The only mail that cannot be read by jail personnel is mail that is coming in from an attorney or going out to an attorney, and even then, the jail might require that the mail be opened in front of them... Read more