How to Help Somebody Get Ready for Time in Jail
My question involves criminal law for the state of: Michigan
my 21 year old daughter is finally heading to jail. I wonder if someone could enlighten me on these questions I have so I can help her get ready
1. What is the process of entering jail? (someone tells me it feels like a doctors office in the beginning or something) Can I be with her until she enters the cell?
2. How does going to jail affect the rest of your life? I mean my daughter is going to college and she was working at the book store there. Will she be able to go back and will she still be able to find work? This is county jail again not prison
3. What stuff can she bring with her? What stuff is she required to bring with her?
4. How does the visiting thing usually work? I heard it may take a month since she can get visits.
5. Do guards keep watch on the cell blocks with cameras even at night? What if some problem arises at night (like sickness or something) will there be someone to take care of it? Also, I assume, even places like showers are communal, are there guards on place to deal with any problem that might arise there (like if someone gets attacked/assaulted)
6. Is there some kind of account that money is supposed to be put on? So she would have to buy the stuff she needs? (like toothbrushes and stuff)?. How much would you need for a five month sentence probably?
7. What are the questions they ask you when entering? I was hoping to tell her what to say
8. What kind of advice should I give her before I drop her off?
this is a county jail not prison, if that changes anything
is it also true that jail actually makes people worse criminals rather than making them not want to commit crimes again? I understand she needs to be punished, I am not try to defend her or anything and hope it will be a learning experience but not in that way
Re: Daughter is Going to Jail. How to Help Her Get Ready
In the order asked:
1. No, you cannot stay with her until she enters her cell. Even if it were possible, it would be very unwise. The actual intake process varies from place to place. There are a few current/former CO's here that might be able to give you a better idea.
2. She will have difficulty when she gets out getting work. It will be next to impossible immediately after her release. Not gonna sugar coat it. I'm not sure how colleges will react, might be a matter of the circumstances.
3. That is something that should be asked of the facility that she will be in. Generally she will not be able to bring much, if anything, in.
4. Again, visitation rules vary from jurisdiction/facility to jurisdiction/facility. In some places, yes it is a month or more before visitation is allowed. This is so the the inmate has a chance to adapt to life in the facility, among other things.
5. Depends on the facility as to what camera coverage they may have. There are normally rounds done by guards to check up on things. Yes, there should be a nurse/doctor available. Most of these questions are facility-dependent. These things will be explained to your daughter during her orientation/intake.
6. Depends on the facility how they run things but many do have commissaries and inmates have accounts. How much would be needed is an individual thing.
7. She should answer any questions truthfully. It's not like a job interview that you can prepare for.
8. Listen to the jailers/COs. Don't make waves.
Do some people come out of a correctional facility/jail worse off? Yup. But others come out unchanged/better.
Re: How to Help Somebody Get Ready for Time in Jail
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2. How does going to jail affect the rest of your life? I mean my daughter is going to college and she was working at the book store there. Will she be able to go back and will she still be able to find work? This is county jail again not prison
8. What kind of advice should I give her before I drop her off?
2. Generally, it would be very difficult for her to find a job, and yet she should be able to at least enroll in some schools. However, we can't really assess her future employment opportunity since we don't know what is her conviction. If her conviction is relevant to the profession itself, then the chance is very slim.
8. what kind of punishment is she receiving? indeterminate or determinate sentence? If it is an indeterminate sentence, then she may be qualified for early release based on good behavior.
"I understand she needs to be punished" - The goal of punishment does not only encompass retributive value. We also want to make sure that she does not commit a crime again, which can be a general deterrence that has to do with public's welfare.
Well, Good Luck
Re: How to Help Somebody Get Ready for Time in Jail
Check and see if if there is a website for that particular county jail (there usually is one). These kinds of websites are full of the kind of information you are seeking and also have contact numbers to call for obtaining further information.
Re: How to Help Somebody Get Ready for Time in Jail
1. What is the process of entering jail? (someone tells me it feels like a doctors office in the beginning or something) Can I be with her until she enters the cell?
-Depending on if she is going to be arrested in court or is turning herself in. She’s an adult and needs to do this herself in my option.
2. How does going to jail affect the rest of your life? I mean my daughter is going to college and she was working at the book store there. Will she be able to go back and will she still be able to find work? This is county jail again not prison
-Depends on the crime she committed. If she’s charged with a felony, a lot of colleges don’t let you attend. (I’m a felon and was lucky to have found one in my state that does.) As for the job, it also depends on the charge. Personally it makes it hard to get one, even getting the job back that you had.
3. What stuff can she bring with her? What stuff is she required to bring with her?
-In my state you can’t take anything. But have her wear white under garments and socks. Then you would have to deposit money into her jail account for her to buy more under garments and socks. Also she’ll have to buy a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant and things like that. They give you soap, shampoo, a bed and a blanket. Buying candy helps you make friends and get the upper hand on cellmates.
4. How does the visiting thing usually work? I heard it may take a month since she can get visits.
-This depends on the jail. Sometimes it’s weeks other times a month or so. Visitation is in order by block usually.
5. Do guards keep watch on the cell blocks with cameras even at night? What if some problem arises at night (like sickness or something) will there be someone to take care of it? Also, I assume, even places like showers are communal, are there guards on place to deal with any problem that might arise there (like if someone gets attacked/assaulted)
-A guard sits and watches everything through the glass in his/her office. Where I was a guard came through at midnight and three am. We were in bed at nine and up at six. My main block was respectful to each other and just serving their time, so one person would go to the shower at a time. When moved to a felony block you all go at once and some people try to cause problems but usually we had no problems.
6. Is there some kind of account that money is supposed to be put on? So she would have to buy the stuff she needs? (like toothbrushes and stuff)?. How much would you need for a five month sentence probably?
-Yes. It depends if you’re buying her phone minutes to call out. They add up quick! Plus pen and paper to write helps.
7. What are the questions they ask you when entering? I was hoping to tell her what to say
-Normal info like age and all. Also tattoos, you have to do fingerprinting a thousand times over it seems. And take a new mugshot.
8. What kind of advice should I give her before I drop her off?
-Don’t cry! If she feels down and is going to, think of something that made her pissed off, always worked for me. Make jail friends (ones you’re only friends with while in jail), but never trust anyone! Socializing helps people respect you. Jail was just a controlled vacation for me in my opinion. I just watched tv, played cards and worked out. Be nice to the guards even if you don't like them because they will take you into a separate room where no one can see and beat the crap out of you. Good luck proving it though!
-From what most people told me is that prison is easier than jail since you can go out into the yard and wonder around instead of being locked in one cell the whole time.
this is a county jail not prison, if that changes anything
is it also true that jail actually makes people worse criminals rather than making them not want to commit crimes again? I understand she needs to be punished, I am not try to defend her or anything and hope it will be a learning experience but not in that way
-You learn a lot in lock-up. It’s up to her if she turns her life around though after. In my opinion it’s not jails that make criminals, it’s our legal system! Th make it so life is more difficult on criminals with a record finding jobs and housing. Take a look at all the laws your local and state police get away with, or get a “slap” on the hand for doing. Our system now days is messed up and all about making the city or government money so don't believe different.