Prisons

Prison chaplains play an important role in the rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals. These chaplains conduct religious services and provide spiritual counsel. The Bureau of Labor Statistics…

The state of Illinois writes that privatization is when the government transfers control of a government-operated service to the private business sector. In addition to certain disadvantages, there…

The Illinois State Police maintains the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS) to keep information flowing between police forces, probation officers, prosecutors, and court and corrections…

Parolees and ex-convicts in general encounter difficulties in obtaining employment for a number of reasons. Some are based on practical components centering on the duties and requirements of a given…

Some correctional facilities maintain an online database where individuals can access an inmate's records, including mugshot photos. To view pictures of incarcerated individuals, you must know the…

The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) may issue arrest warrants for people who have already been to state prison. The reason for the warrant may vary. Reasons include breaking the terms of…

When someone is arrested or convicted of a crime, those facts become part of the public police record. Each city, county and state keeps records of these crimes, and they can be of invaluable…

The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that in 2009 more than 800,000 parolees were living in the United States, with each entitled to constitutional rights. However, the conditions of parole…

The United States holds the highest rate of incarceration in the world, with approximately 2.3 million people held behind bars in 2010. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) collects and analyzes…

The idea of private prisons was introduced in 1984, when then-President Ronald Reagan contracted with the new Corrections Corporation of America, or CCA, to house immigration detainees at private…

The law requires individuals be judged and sentenced for crimes they commit. While an individual may be on trial for more than one crime, each charge is ruled on separately receives its own…

Prison conditions will vary depending on whether it is a federal or state prison, and whether it is a government or privately run prison. Federally run prisons tend to have more white-collar criminals…

California issues mandatory parole for all prison inmates, with terms starting immediately upon an inmate's release and lasting up to three years. Parole is a period of conditional supervision,…

Looking for people who have been released from prison and are now on probation in North Carolina can be done in a few steps. The North Carolina Department of Corrections provides the public with…

According to U.S. Department of Justice reports, there were over 1.5 million inmates in state and federal prisons in the U.S. in 2009 (the latest statistics available as of April 2011). Another…

An overcrowded prison is known to cause psychological damage to the inmates. Having more prisoners than a correctional facility can really accommodate means that some of them will develop patterns of…

Jail or prison can be a lonely, isolating place, devoid of items of comfort. Many family members of inmates wish to send their inmates packages with food, clothing, magazines and books. Inmates are…

Thanks to movies and television, many people are familiar with the concept of courtroom objections. Objections are a very real part of courtroom life and can be used for a myriad of purposes.…

The argument for or against prison privatization surrounds the issue of money. Some proponents claim that privatizing prison facilities will reduce the overhead at the state and federal levels.…

The U.S. has the largest prison population in the world. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, in 2009, more than two million people were in prison and nearly six million were on some form of…

In most states, a court has several options other than sentencing an offender to a prison term. This, in large part, depends on the crime, though a judge is not likely to impose an alternative…

Supermax prisons, or super-maximum-security prisons, house the most violent and dangerous inmates in the prison system. Supermax prisons were developed after a wave of prison violence in the 1970s and…

Nearly 1.6 million people were incarcerated in the United States in 2008, according to the New York Times. This statistic doesn't take into consideration an additional 723,000 individuals serving time…

Prisoner privileges vary according to state, but most allow a decent amount to abiding inmates. There are some legal rights they have as well, but in some cases, judges can refuse them. Some of the…

Children, just like adults, are most often sent to prison for committing a crime. Youth between the age of 10 and 17 are typically tried at a juvenile court, which is reserved for minors. A judge then…

Through the years, various sectors of society have objected to granting training to prison inmates. Training may include vocational or educational training and even college courses. While many…

Life without parole is mandatory in many states for some crimes, such as armed robbery. As of March 2010, Florida was responsible for 70 percent of the total juvenile offenders sentenced to life in…

Incidences of abuse and violence involving prison inmates and security personnel is an ongoing issue regardless of the facility's level of security and supervision. Overcrowding is chief among the…

Serving time in prison is not a pleasant experience. Psychologically preparing yourself for your new life -- and wrapping up your old life -- might allow you to better adjust to prison. It is…

Prison can be a long and lonely experience. Letters can be encouraging and a way to communicate with a loved one. The Georgia State Correctional Department has rules and regulations regarding…

The number of people in America confined to state and national federal prisons has grown exponentially since 1970, rising from 196,429 and reaching the 1.5 million mark in 2007. This increase results…

Time is nothing if not plentiful inside the walls of a prison. Whether serving a short or long sentence, finding constructive ways to pass time is vital to surviving incarceration. Writing letters,…

Prisons provide safety for communities as they house convicted criminals. However, the danger may lie inside the facility itself, which can be over run with violence. When a group of aggressive…

Most prison inmates eventually will be released back into the community. Prison transitional programs, also called residential reentry centers, bridge the gap from prison to the community. They offer…

Inmates need to keep in touch with friends and family members to discuss necessary life issues, as well as to receive overall encouragement. While inmates can have visitors, visits are often limited…

Prison inmates often struggle with overall behavioral issues, many of which landed them in custody in the first place. The self-contained environment in prisons can contribute to overall stress and…

According to a 2006 report from the Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons, emotional and physical abuse is common in the U.S. prison system. Many prisoners are deprived of basic needs…

Many people who find themselves in jail face the problem of how to make a collect call to a cell phone. With more and more people giving up their land lines in favor of exclusive use of cell phones,…

The stress in jail and prison can act as a time bomb for inmates dealing with anger and mental and emotional stress. This tension can explode into prison riots. At best, the resulting prison riots…

In 2006, a report by the Commission on Safety and Abuse in American Prisons indicated that abuse continues to play an overbearing role within the current penal system and can take on many different…

A parolee forfeits certain Fourth Amendment rights, including protections against "unreasonable searches and seizure." While California law is often succinct about these boundaries, several slight…

Prison categorization levels in the United Kingdom, such as Category C, are determined by the likelihood of offenders trying to escape and, if they did so, how big a risk they would present to the…

Most prisons across the United States allow inmates to receive care packages, or boxes of goods, once per quarter. However, packages must be sent through the correct avenues in order to be properly…

Incarcerated prisoners are not only restricted in terms of physical movement and freedom, they are also restricted by what items and possessions are allowed in the prison. Illegal drugs are forbidden…

When a loved one is in prison, friends or family members visit to keep in contact with the inmate. All prisons have rules surrounding visitation procedures, based on a variety of factors. Most prisons…

Ingenuity, perseverance, nerves of steel and a great deal of luck are minimum requirements for breaking out of any high-security prison, but chances of success are remote even for prisoners who have…

As of February 2008, one in 100 adults were incarcerated in jail or prison, according to the Washington Post. Most Americans know that prison time drags on endlessly, but prison life has often been…

Inmates in the Sacramento County Jail need to talk with their family, friends and attorneys. From discussing their legal issues to getting updates on family matters, the inmate will need to…

Illinois law requires that all criminal arrest records be made available to the public. However, if you are accessing arrest records for the purposes of pre-employment or housing screening, the person…

When a person commits a crime and has court cases involving the crime, public records are created. If the crime results in a prison sentence, the felon will be transported to a prison. Prison inmate…

After an offender serves time in prison or jail, he will need to address many issues upon release. Even a short amount of time in jail can result in lasting changes. Many people have overcome the…

The Uniform Conviction Information Act in Illinois went into effect in 1991. The law requires that all criminal histories for convicted criminals be available to the public. Conviction histories are…

Leavenworth is a United States Federal penitentiary located in Leavenworth, Kan. Leavenworth was originally classified as a maximum-security prison until it was downgraded to medium security in 2005.…

According to the Legislative Analyst's Office, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, also known as the CDCR or CDC, housed more than 170,000 inmates in 2010. Each incarcerated…

In the state of Texas, prison facilities determine custody levels based on facility needs and departmental policies. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice uses five levels; how an inmate behaves…

Looking up a criminal record on someone can be easy or difficult depending on the state. In the state of Ohio, several options are available at no cost and without making you wait several days. If you…

In California, three strikes means you're in--prison--for a minimum of 25 years. Since the 1994 passage of the "Three Strikes Law," California's prison population has swelled. In 2010, the…

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, known as the CDC, assigns a unique identification number to each inmate in its system. You can use the CDC identification number to locate…

Vision center scams appear across the United States. Common charges against optometrists include misdiagnosis, wrongful treatment and inappropriate billing. Investigations have found optometrists who…

There are at least 1.5 million U.S citizens in prison. Of these, the vast majority will be released back into the community. There are those who believe the primary --- perhaps only --- prison…

Prison overpopulation is a very pertinent, expensive problem in the United States. As of Jan. 1, 2010, there are more than 1.6 million people incarcerated in state and federal prisons throughout the…

Prison overcrowding is breaking records with federal prisons operating an average of 34 percent above capacity. Statistics from the Pew Center on the States indicate that in 2008, more than one in 100…

Prison conditions concern human rights activists and others who feel strongly about basic human rights. As part of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, prisoners worldwide should…

According to North Carolina law (Art. 3, Sec. 148-26), general policy guidelines require that every "able-bodied" prison inmate must have a job. Prisoners who do not comply are subject to disciplinary…

In 2005 there were more than 2 million citizens incarcerated in federal, state or county facilities. The United States imprisons more of its citizens than any other country in the world. Black people…

In Michigan, all you need is a prisoner's name to find him in the state's prison system. The Offender Tracking Info System, or OTIS, is run by the Michigan Department of Corrections and provides…

According to the Heritage Foundation, although private companies have a long history of being awarded contracts for providing prison services, privatization of the prison system began with the…

In Florida, you need only the most basic prisoner information to locate anyone serving time in the prison system. If you have the prisoner's last name, you can start a basic search at the Inmate…

Violence in prison is a challenging and troubling problem. According to The Bureau of Justice Statistics, many prisons are operating at more than 100 percent capacity. Overcrowding is likely a…

A 2010 article from CareerOverview.com, "Corrections Officer Career Overview," states that 11 million people are incarcerated in U.S. prisons annually. Federal and state laws govern correctional…

The question of whether to allow prisoners to have access to artificial insemination has been a controversial one. The debate has raged over whether the right to reproduce is lost at the prison gates.

Established in 1862, the Nevada State Prison is one of the oldest functioning prisons in the U.S. It has a capacity of 841 inmates and provides a range of minimum, medium and maximum security…

If you know someone in the California prison system, there are only a few ways you can find out the CDC identification number of the inmate. Once you know the CDC number, it will help you know where…

Supermax prisons, also called control unit prisons, were developed specifically for the correction system's most dangerous and violent inmates. These prisons offer maximum security, along with harsh…

If you were found guilty and sentenced for a crime in California, you have the right to appeal the sentence that you received. You must, however, file the appropriate documents within the statutory…

The state of Indiana has several prisons to house inmates, ranging from minimum security to maximum security. Inmates are required to be housed in humane conditions, treated with respect, given access…

Having to go to prison is the last thing anyone would actually want to prepare for. Life in prison requires some mental concentration and preparation, especially if you have never served time before.…

Prisons vary from state to state on whether it is permitted to order food packages for inmates. A complete list of prisons that allow food packages is not currently accessible, but the prisons in…

Many state prison systems offer work release programs for inmates who are nearing their release dates. Work release programs allow prisoners to work outside the prison for a period of time and then…

Halfway houses were created for felons who have been released from prison yet as parolees need more supervision to rehabilitate themselves into society. In 1974, Colorado initiated the Community…

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, corrections officers process more than 13 million people a year into jails and prisons around the country. To ensure the safety of all prisoners as well…

Prison privatization is growing more common, as federal and state governments look to save money by outsourcing correctional facilities administration to civilian companies. While both private and…

Financial accounts for inmates in Texas are called Inmate Trust Funds. While prisoners may not directly access funds while they are incarcerated, money deposited into inmate accounts allows them to…

State and federal correctional facilities in the United States held a total of 1,617,478 prisoners at midyear 2009, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Even behind bars, though, some…

The U.S. prison system encourages contact between prisoners and their friends and family as part of the rehabilitation process. In Wisconsin, anyone can contact inmates who are incarcerated within the…

When a person enters prison, some rights are suspended temporarily or permanently. Throughout the United States prison inmates lose the right to participate in elections while incarcerated, however…

According to the North Carolina Department of corrections, the state of North Carolina provides a website that allows anyone in the general public to search for inmates, people on parole or probation…

In the United States, even the incarcerated have opportunities to better their lives. While institutionalized, inmates are free to participate in a number of programs and services, ranging from…

Substance abuse monitoring programs are often conducted in conjunction with a term of imprisonment, parole or probation in an effort to keep an offender from abusing illegal drugs or other substances.…

Running checks on prisoners in Illinois involves different requirements, depending on the agency and whether you are looking for a current or former inmate. The Illinois Department of Corrections…

There are many different types of inmates at a correctional facility, from those convicted of minor offenses to those housed on death row. Therefore, the method to view an inmate differs depending on…

Correctional officers and personnel are responsible for caring for prison inmates. Sometimes, prisoners act out and rebel by barricading themselves in their cells. In such cases, there is no way to…

Prisons are an unusual situation. Prison guards (also known as correctional officers or detention officers) work with assault perpetrators and even murderers on a day-to-day basis. Many prisoners are…

Television and movies heavily influence the public perception of prisons and prison guards, and few really know what it's like to be a corrections officer. Be informed about the life of a prison guard…

According to Crime Insider, a news affiliate of CBS Interactive Inc., the state of Georgia has the fifth-largest prison system in the United States. To address both economic factors and a growing…

There are many different reasons for wanting to find out the criminal history of an incarcerated individual. Sometimes, pure curiosity is the chief motive; other times, you may find out that someone…

Prisons are some of the most difficult institutions to manage. Prison occupants have already shown an unwillingness to follow rules, hence their reason for being there. Prison guards are required…

Getting arrested is a frightening experience, particularly if you do not know what to expect once you arrive at the jail. While booking procedures differ slightly from jail to jail, the actual process…

State prison employees undergo a rigorous application process to ensure that only capable people work in such a sensitive environment. This usually includes background checks, psychological and…

According to the the website for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, federal halfway houses are known as residential re-entry centers. As of March 2010, there were 256 residential re-entry centers in the…

There are 139 prison facilities in the sunshine state, according to the Florida Department of Corrections. In addition to housing inmates at major prison institutions, the Florida Department of…

Fraternization with offenders can create problems for prison guards. Inappropriate relationships between guards and offenders can take many forms, ranging from simple overfamiliarity, to favoritism,…

According to the National Institute of Justice, the California Parole Violation Decision Making Instrument was put into place in 2008 in an effort to offer alternatives to incarceration for parole…

Locating a friend or family member incarcerated within the California Department of Corrections is an easy task as long as you have the correct information on hand. Unfortunately, The California…

Prison personnel rely on technology to keep facilities secure. Technology allows them to monitor prisoner movement and prevent the influx of contraband into the facility, and it provides guards with…

According to Silja J.A. Talvi's Jan. 5, 2007, article in "The Nation," America's prison complex holds over 2 million people who are "locked away without public oversight or scrutiny." While the lack…

The brutality and horror of the concentration camps and death camps that existed during World War II are hard for most people to fully comprehend. Bergen-Belsen, in Lower Saxony just outside the…

Supermax prisons are super-maximum, hyper-secure facilities that house the most violent, dangerous and escape-prone inmates in a prison system. Twenty-five years ago, the United States had one…

Resocialization is generally the process of moving, or being moved, to a new environment where the individual needs to change his or her identity in some form. Jails offer structured programs which…

Prison security audits are detailed physical and policy inspections conducted by the National Institute of Corrections. They are conducted in cooperation with, and often at the behest of, the state's…

Finding work upon the release of prison is essential for the rehabilitation of a prisoner into society, as employment provides stability, much needed income, and makes the person less likely to return…

There are many regulations for sending care packages to prisoners. Prisons find many materials unacceptable. Authorities will open and evaluate all mail received by the prison to be sure it is…

The official definition of parole is "early release of a prisoner who is then subject to continued monitoring as well as compliance with certain terms and conditions for a specified period." This…

America's prison system is rife with corruption, beatings and the tolerance of rape. Help Prisoners.org has testimony from many prisoners speaking to these abuses. Organizing localities is central to…

Nobody is perfect and sometimes people wind up on the wrong side of the law. While serving their time, prisoners have a hard time making any substantial money. Sending money to jail and prison…

The incarceration of a loved one is very difficult for any family, especially if a long term is involved. The most important thing you can do for him or her is to send frequent reminders that they are…

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice offers the Offender Grievance Program to all offenders who wish to resolve issues or disputes with prison staff. Offenders may "present written complaints…

Substance abuse and addiction is a serious problem. For incarcerated individuals, these problems are magnified. The Bureau of Prisons recognizes the severity of this issue. Several treatment programs…

Most people have little idea what the average cost is to house inmates in prison. An average bill per day to house an inmate in state prisons is about $129. The bill at some prisons is a little less…

If you want to send a care package to an inmate incarcerated at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano, California, there are several things of which you must be aware. In an effort to prevent contraband…

More than 2 million people are incarcerated in prisons and jails in the United States, federal figures show, and the number of people behind bars is forecast to increase over the next decade. As the…

Even if a noncustodial parent is employed and making child support payments, they generally lose their job and become insolvent when they become incarcerated. In Ohio, when someone is incarcerated,…

Ever wanted to look up someone you know in Illinois prison to find out what they are really in prison for? Think their story of landing in prison was a little far fetched? If the inmate is currently…

It's so much easier just sending a single issue magazine rather then getting a subscription, because some inmates sometimes move around a lot and those magazines just never get to them.

If your looking to send someone in California's corrections system a care package, you may not mail it directly. You must use a vendor from the California Department of Corrections and…

Parole officers serve an important function in the U.S. legal system. Often offenders are released from prison early, and in an effort to reduce recidivism, they are placed on parole. The parole…

As you could imagine, most inmates have little to look forward to but the passing of time. Mail is often the biggest part of the day. Most facilities have very strict rules regarding mail received by…

Building a prison involves more than just steel bars and bricks. While construction materials and specialized items such as the unique toilets may present supply issues, there are things to be…

Gone are the day's that inmates could send home a mile long list of items they wanted. You simply went to Target, Kmart, or where ever else gathered up all the items, put them in a box and pulled…

Parole is the conditional, supervised release of a prisoner. It is usually the last step in the criminal justice system before a convicted person is deemed to be rehabilitated and unconditionally…

Many men and women form successful relationships with prison inmates by becoming pen pals. To minimize your risk, you should do an inmate lookup on all the prison pen pals you contact. Here are some…

When you become a police officer, learning to handcuff a person properly is important for your safety. You need to ensure that the person you have handcuffed can't get out of them. The proper way to…

Have you ever wondered what prison food tastes like? Since most people will hopefully never have a chance to try jailhouse cuisine, it's no surprise that there is a lot of curiosity surrounding the…

The term "prisoner" has many different connotations. A prisoner can be someone who has been kidnapped, someone who has been captured during a war or someone who is being held captive due to…

If you want to marry someone who is in jail, there are special steps you have to take to accomplish this. Before you begin the process, make sure you can handle the emotional toll of not being able to…

Whether you and your significant other are separated by bars or you're both incarcerated, a prison romance is quite different from a real world romance with no barriers. Although a prison relationship…

Contraband is a serious problem both going into prison and out of prison. Properly knowing how to search an inmate promotes safety for the guards and inmates, while regulating illegal contraband…

Gifting is significant when loved ones are far away because they're incarcerated. Celebrating special occasions despite the fact your loved one is in prison. A carefully chosen gift means so much when…