what to say to someone facing jail time

If you have a friend or family unit member in prison house, having at least x ways to support your family and friends in prison may assist you both.

People in Texas go to prison for many reasons. Some go to prison because they're undocumented immigrants. Others are in prison because they used marijuana in public or failed to pay a jitney or train fare.

A family unit member or friend in prison may securely affect your life in the long run.

You may experience shame or deep sadness considering their plight. You might non know how to talk about it. You may feel targeted and afraid considering you and your loved one are persons of color, poor, trans, queer, immigrant, disabled, or indigenous community members.

Still, it's important to recognize that feelings won't change your loved 1's circumstances. Use these suggestions to "show upwards" for him or her.

Do you lot have a loved one in prison?
Contact experienced attorney Greg Tsioros to encounter if they are parole eligible »

Proffer #1: Send Money if Possible

Many people with loved ones in prison don't exercise this.

Without money, he or she probably won't get regular access to communications tools like stamps, phone cards, or envelopes. He or she might demand money to contact an attorney by phone. He or she may need newspaper, a pen, envelopes and stamps to send urgently needed data through by mail.

Additionally, coin is useful to purchase tasty snacks, east.thousand. microwave soup bowls. It's also needed to purchase personal care products, e.g. toothbrushes or toothpaste.

It can be challenging to deposit coin into an inmate's account. You will need his or her full name, booking number, and account balance (so you won't exceed maximum fund limits). After you lot gather the information, it should have less than five minutes to complete the account deposit.

Suggestion #ii: Answer Your Loved Ane's Phone Calls

If a loved 1 in prison is making a phone call to you lot—and yous can take without accepting reverse charges—he or she paid money to place the telephone call.

Yous might not know that.

You might non understand that you can open account to have a loved 1's calls (and avoid his or her cost to place phone calls to yous).

You might avert answering a loved one's calls from prison house for simple reasons, due east.g. "What should I say?"

When viewed this fashion, perhaps the trouble stems from personal discomfort. You want the "right words" to say to him or her, and you lot don't want awkward silences. You don't want to say the incorrect thing.

Realize that y'all and your loved i are human. You both take experiences to share. He or she wants to substitution stories and go along to exist in your life.

Pick upwardly the phone or have the call.

Suggestion #iii: Write Letters to a Loved Ane in Prison

As above, it'south expensive for your loved 1 to brand phone calls. Your friend or family member might not have an account to practice so.

When exchanging stories past phone isn't possible, don't forget near sending him or her handwritten letters. This is an inexpensive and meaningful way to communicate.

Before sending your start letter, visit the facility website where your loved ane is housed to acquire the rules nigh sending letters.

In your letter, ask questions, share personal, local or national news stories, and (nigh importantly) catch him or her upward on what's new in your life.

Proffer #four: Visit Your Loved Ane in Prison

Everyone needs homo interaction. Visit your friend or family member in prison.

Yous may take transportation problems. Ask other friends and family to give you a ride to visit. Ask other friends and family unit to get with you.

Many people are afraid of entering a jail, detention center, or prison. For instance, if yous're undocumented, you may have reasonable fears of incarceration by entering a federal facility.

If you're a citizen or resident and you take a loved one in prison, face your fear. He or she needs you lot now.
Inmate rights may be violated. Know that your decision to continually visit might lessen the possibility that your loved 1's rights will be violated.

Proffer #5: Visit Your Loved Ane's Friends in Prison house

If your family member or friend has fabricated new friends in prison house, ask him or her if in that location's anyone else they want you to visit. Some inmates don't receive family unit, friend, or partner visits, and then it'southward possible for you to change that.

When you bring a friend or family member to the prison, send him or her to visit your friend or loved one so that you tin visit your loved one'southward friend.

This step builds good will, solidarity, and customs.

Suggestion #6: Communicate Positive Letters to Your Loved I in Prison

People in prison house often feel cocky-doubts. They question their value or self-worth to others.
Remind him or her that they're resilient. They tin can survive.

In the example of imprisonment, your loved one'southward personal power tin accept the class of making an outgoing call to you.

When you visit, write, telephone call, or respond your friend or family member's outgoing messages from prison, remind him or her how much you care. Talk about the hereafter. Ask about what steps he or she is taking to amend themselves, if possible, in this time.

Don't forget about parole-eligibility!

Your loved one probably dreams near that 24-hour interval when he or she is eligible for parole in Texas.

And, if he or she becomes parole-eligible, remind your loved i that you'll do everything within your power to help. Consider doing some enquiry virtually qualified Texas parole lawyers to prepare your loved ane's parole parcel when that time comes.

He or she probably won't take the opportunity to convey anything to the parole console in person. An experienced parole attorney will do what's necessary to call attention to your loved i's practiced record and positive plans for the futurity.

Suggestion #7: Talk near Your Life

Your loved ane wants to know nigh what'south happening in your life. Tell him or her how you're doing.
Tell them about school, job, dating, or annihilation you practice for fun. He or she tin can share your moments of joy.

Don't agree back. Invite your loved 1 to share your thoughts, perspectives, and perceptions.

Suggestion #8: Share Jokes

Look for laughter and share it with your loved 1 in prison house.

Your friend or family member is probably as happy to see y'all as you are to see him or her. Pick upwardly exactly where you left off in a call, visit, phone call, or letter.

Most people love to commutation smiles. It's one of the all-time ways to support your friend, family fellow member, mentor, or lover in prison.

Suggestion #9: Open Upwardly well-nigh Your Friend or Family unit Member in Prison house

It's difficult to support your loved one in prison all by yourself. Enlist the back up of others from your friends and family to bring as much joy to him or her equally possible.

It may feel scary to discuss your experience (and your loved i'due south experience in prison). Consider information technology. Opening upwardly is a great style to rid yourself of any shame or fears about your loved one in prison.

Proffer #10: Domicile, Birthday, and Passing the Time

Your loved 1'south home may change over time. It's possible to forget the trivial things.

Perhaps, on your loved 1's birthday, y'all take pictures of his or her favorite home space with a large sign that says "I love you lot."

If your loved one likes to read, transport books, newspapers, and magazines from home.

Schedule a consultation to see if your loved one is eligible for parole »

Resources for You

Prison is difficult for everyone involved. You must exert energy to maintain a potent human relationship with your loved i.

The following books can help you and your loved one in prison:

"Doing Time Together: Honey and Family in the Shadow of the Prison house," by Megan Comfort.
"Family Arrested: How to Survive the Incarceration of a Loved Ane," by Ann Edenfield.
"Assistance! My Loved I is in Prison," by Louis Due north. Jones.
"How to Love and Inspire Your Human after Prison," past Michael B. Jackson.
"Incarcerated only Free: How to Find Freedom from Your Mental Prison house," by Monique Pettaway-Ray.
"Learning to Sing in a Strange Land," past Wesley Stevens.
"Letters to an Incarcerated Blood brother," by Hill Harper.
"Sentenced, Now What?" by Lennie Spitale.
"When You Have to Become to Prison," by Margaret R. Kohut.
"Arrested: What to Do When Your Loved 1'southward in Jail," by Wes Denham.
"Before Amen: The Power of Simple Prayer," by Max Lucado.
"Beyond Loneliness," by Trevor Hudson.
"Chicken Soup for the Soul," past Jack Canfield, Victor Hansen, Susan M. Heim.
"Daily Light on the Daily Path," by the Samuel Bagster Family.

Contact an Experienced Texas Parole Lawyer

Supporting a family member or friend in prison is challenging for many. Do everything possible and within your means to help and support your loved i.

If nosotros tin can assistance you and your loved ane set up for the future, including parole eligibility questions and concerns, contact The Police force Office of Greg Tsioros at 832-752-5972.

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Source: https://txparolelaw.com/10-ways-to-support-family-and-friends-in-prison/