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Family members who suspect that their loved one is incarcerated in Williamson County Jail can now easily confirm it online. There’s a website where you can check if someone you know is under the custody of Williamson County Jail. If you’re uncertain of the location of your loved one or someone you know, follow these easy steps to find out if they are being held in Williamson County Jail. The facade of Williamson County Jail in Texas. (Image source: Wikipedia) Step 1: Gather the General Information of Your Loved One You need to know all the necessary information on the person you are looking for. Information like the name, middle name, surname, and birthday will be asked, so be sure to prepare all these. Step 2: Go to the Website Click here to go to the official website of Williamson County Records Inquiry. Step 3: Select Jail Records Once you’re already on the website, you will see the words that say “Jail Records” at the bottom of the page. This will lead you directly to a page where you can search for information about inmates jailed in Williamson County Jail. Step 4: Choose Your Search Method At the top of the page, you […]

Failure to provide child support can send you to prison. And this is a usual problem a parent encounters from their ex-partner. But how about committing a child support fraud? Can the court lock you up behind bars for that? Keep reading to find out. What Is Child Support? Child support is the money given to the custodial parent to support the overall needs of the child. Is Child Support Necessary? Yes. Child support is essential, especially if the parents are no longer living together. Raising a child is very expensive, and a single parent usually can’t do it alone. However, child support is not intended to benefit the custodial parent. Its purpose is to provide for the cost of the child’s shelter, food, education, and health and medical care. How Is Child Support Determined? Determining child support varies from state to state. But, most states use the income shares of parents to calculate child support. The court will have to ask both parents to provide financial statements. It includes monthly income, expenses, assets, and liabilities. You should know that income is not only what you earn from wages or salary. The court will also consider your investments, businesses, and other […]

When people talk about life in Las Vegas, you’ll most likely think about how cool and awesome would it be to live there. In Sin City, non-stop partying and gambling are the norms. Not just that, some people travel all the way to Las Vegas because they believe prostitution there is legal. Contrary to popular beliefs, prostitution is illegal in Las Vegas. Being convicted of such could have you facing serious jail time. Here are the things you should know about prostitution in Las Vegas and what punishment awaits for you if you get caught. (Related: How to Find Out If The Police Are Investigating You) What is Prostitution? In the state of Nevada, prostitution is defined as engaging in sexual activities for financial or material gain. Nevada allows operating brothels for counties with less than 700,000 residents. While only eight counties have legal brothels, it doesn’t include Clark County where the city of Las Vegas is in. Is Prostitution Same With Solicitation? People always confuse solicitation with prostitution. Solicitation is when people find a client for a prostitute and earn a “commission” from it. This is more commonly known as “pimping.” What Are The Penalties For Prostitution? Both solicitation and prostitution […]

Petty theft or shoplifting laws vary from state to state. Some punishments will include prison time, while others will just slap you with a large fine. Either which, here are several lawyer-provided tips on how to reduce a shoplifting fine. iStock photo What Should You Do If You Get Caught Shoplifting? Being charged with a misdemeanor or a felony depends on the severity of the item that you stole. Again, each state has different rules for shoplifting. But, most of the time, if the items that you took are worth less than $500, then it’s only considered as a misdemeanor stealing. There are two things that can happen when you get caught shoplifting. It’s either you can get arrested or police might just issue you a shoplifting ticket and let you go. (Related: How to Find Out If The Police Are Investigating You) If an officer issued you a shoplifting ticket, you can go to court and represent yourself. You can also hire lawyers to represent you in court. Factors That Can Affect Your Shoplifting Case Age Your age can significantly affect your case. The judge can be more merciful to you if you’re younger. Prior Convictions Your criminal history will […]

As of today, the United States still has the highest incarceration rate in the world. That is why ankle bracelets are now being used as an alternative to incarceration. Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Through electronic monitoring devices, the US is now expanding house arrest programs successfully. They believe that these devices are part of the solution to the overcrowded prison in the US. However, these electronic monitoring devices are driving defendants into debt. Ankle bracelets are costly. You get charged a monthly fee for this surveillance device if you don’t want to stay behind bars. Most ex-convicts eventually returned to jail because of non-payment for the monitoring device. Here are some instances where electronic monitoring devices drove people into debt. Daehaun White, 19 years old White, being a careless teen, drove a stolen chevy which, according to him, was lent by a friend. He had no previous convictions. He wasn’t even aware that it was a stolen car. All he knew was he was driving his friends around. They charged him with tampering a motor vehicle and driving a car without the owner’s consent. He was then sent to St. Louis’ Medium Security Institution, a city jail known as the […]

Addiction is a condition wherein a person finds it hard to stop using a substance. In the US, it is very common and widespread. Statistics show about 21 million Americans have at least one addiction. Whether it’s alcohol, heroin, or any other substances, only 10% of them receive treatment. The majority of the people in prison are men between 19 to 35 years old. Most of their cases have something to do with drugs-both possession and drug use. Usually, even before the inmates’ incarceration, they were already addicted to alcohol or drugs, or both. Most of the time, these behaviors are the reason for their imprisonment. But what happens to an addict once they’re sent out to jail? Any addict who stops taking the substance in abrupt will lead to withdrawal. This sudden withdrawal will only make their cravings go up. Worst case scenario, death can happen to addicts who have severe withdrawal symptoms. Prisoners Addicted to Alcohol There are a lot of inmates that have an alcohol addiction. This is often the reason that leads to their incarceration. (e.g. domestic abuse and violence due to the effect of excessive drinking of alcohol) Alcohol is not allowed in prison. So, if […]

If you want to find out if the police are investigating you, one thing to keep in mind is that they wouldn’t do it in secret. In fact, they’ll even use their power to force you to tell the truth. Here are some ways to find out if the police are investigating you. Police at Your Doorstep Most of the time, police will come knocking on your door if you’re under investigation. They are usually straight to the point and will identify themselves. These men will ask you if you could talk to them. If that happens, then you’re probably under investigation. Search Warrant A search warrant is a legal document that authorizes an officer to enter and search premises. This is actually a very common way for the police to investigate people. If a police officer shows up at your door and gives you a search warrant, then you are under investigation. Police usually need to carry out a search warrant to enter and search at your house legally. Target Letter This is a letter that you could receive from the US Attorney’s Office saying that you are the “target” or the subject of an investigation. If you receive […]

We can all agree that incarceration is an experience nobody wants to ever go through. It affects not just the person being imprisoned but also their families and friends. Yet with the ever-rising rate of mass incarceration in the US, the threat of prison continues to loom. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, around 2.2 million people are currently locked up in jails and prisons around the country. This equates to about 25% of the country’s total population. That’s also 700% more than the prison population 50 years ago. This means that more and more Americans have loved ones or know someone who is, at the moment, suffering in prison. To help you understand more of what they are going through, we ask former prisoners to answer the ultimate question: what is the prison experience like? Accommodations Several news reports are emerging about prisons with better accommodations than hotels. The truth is these prisons are the exception rather than the norm. Many jails and prisons in the country are struggling with overpopulation and dire lack of funds. This leads to unsanitary and sometimes inhumane living conditions for the inmates. There are basically two kinds of accommodations in prisons: dorm […]

Prison life is hard for everyone and outside emotional support does a lot to help an inmate survive in prison. That’s why prison calls are very important to both the inmate and their families. Inmates are allowed to call family and friends from the outside, though regulations vary per facility. But the question is, how do you call an inmate back? More importantly, can you call an inmate back? Technically, you can’t but some facilities may reconsider in emergency cases. Prison Call Rules Each facility is given autonomy on implementing its own inmate calling system. As a result, prison call rules vary for each facility. But some rules apply for most prisons. For one, inmates cannot receive calls. They can only make outgoing ones. This means you can’t call an inmate back. You can only wait for them to call you. This rule applies to federal, state and county prisons. In federal prisons, inmates only get 300 minutes of calls each month. This resets on a specific day and unused minutes are voided. Prisoners, however, can’t use all their minutes in one go. Each call is limited only up to 15 minutes. If they want to make another call, they’ll […]

Prison literature is wide and varied. It can also range from bittersweet, poignant to downright disturbing. Stories about bravery, resilience, and redemption introduce us to what life in prison is really like. Here are some of the best books about prison for 2019: Solitary by: Albert Woodfox This autobiography of Albert Woodfox (one of Angola 3) tells a story of extraordinary fortitude in the face of violence and injustice. Woodfox was serving a 50-year sentence in Angola prison when he joined the Black Panther Party in his early twenties. When a white guard was killed in 1972, the warden put Woodfox and a fellow Black Panther member in solitary confinement. That no concrete evidence was presented against them did not deter the warden. Their subsequent trial was nothing but a sham and it would take decades before they are to attain true justice. His memoir is a devastating and insightful look at a justice system where skin color dictates your innocence. Truly an eye-opener for today’s generation. Life and Death in Rikers Island by: Homer Venters Venter was the former chief medical officer for New York City’s Jails. In this book, he exposes the health risks inmates face behind bars. […]

White-collar prison. If you’ve followed the whole debacles concerning famous names like Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort, then that term would make sense to you. It’s where white-collar criminals like them are usually sent to spend their sentences. Most people also know it as “Club Fed” and for a good reason. If we are to believe the rumors, a white-collar prison is where big-ticket criminals continue to live in luxury. It’s almost like they never went to prison at all. There are even claims that those white-collar criminals live out some sort of hedonistic fantasies inside it. But what really is a white-collar prison? In reality, there are no white collar prisons. At least, in the eyes of the law. The term was invented by people to refer to posh prison facilities where society’s who’s who are kept. But it certainly is not the country club time out everyone thinks. US prisons are classified based on the security level of the inmates inside them. There are four types of prison in the country: juvenile, minimum security, medium security, and high security. Some prisons, regardless of security classification, have better amenities than others. This makes them a magnet for convicted high […]

Club Fed. Rich man’s prison. Those are what most people think about when they hear the word “white collar prison”. Indeed, even in incarceration, wealth and influence still comes into play. Small town thieves with no connection whatsoever gets thrown in a regular jail. While high profile people can expect cushy accommodations. But is it really as luxurious as it is portrayed? Or is it all just a myth created to stir public outcry? Here’s what we found out about what is life actually like in white collar prisons: It’s Not As Cushy As You Think We often think of white collar prisons as this cushy hotel where the incarcerated rich and famous hold their soirees. Well folks, it might not be as cushy as you think. For one, they don’t get to hold soirees. Also, those reports about swimming pools and private golf clubs are a bit exaggerated. Though most white collar prisons have better facilities than regular ones, it’s still not five-star quality. Inmates still have to use communal bathrooms (albeit much cleaner). Some of them also have to sleep in overcrowded dorm rooms. They usually have to make do with dilapidated facilities and equipments too. Being Famous […]

So you’re waiting for a loved one in jail to call you at home. Then you decided to take a shower at around the same time the phone rang. Poof. There goes your opportunity of talking to your loved one for that day. And the waiting game resumes. But did you know you can receive calls from jail on your mobile phone? Yes, you can talk to your incarcerated loved ones without being tied location wise. The best part is there are now jail calling apps which can improve your inmate calling experience. Out of all the jail calling apps out there, which is the best? We won’t recommend a specific app. Instead, we’ll give you information about what to look for in a jail calling app for you to make an informed decision. Read on to learn more. How Jail Calls Work Most federal, state and county jails have contracts with private jail call providers. This contracts grants them exclusive rights to provide jail calls within the prison facility. It includes providing telephone infrastructures and installing security systems for those calls. This arrangement does not only benefit the jail call providers but the facility as well. They get more […]

Decades ago, the government uses prison time to punish those who have violated the law. Its main purpose is to curtail someone’s freedom and keep them away from their loved ones as a form of penance. In recent times, the focus of incarceration has shifted from punishment to rehabilitation. Jail time is not anymore seen as a form of punishment but rather as an opportunity to reform an erring person. With this belief, the US Justice system has allowed inmates to make phone calls to their families. It recognizes the importance of support from loved ones to rehabilitate someone. Also, cutting them off completely from the people they care about seems inhumane. It won’t be of any help if the ultimate goal is to reintroduce them to society. Overview of the prison phone system In general, prison facilities have phone amenities inmates can access. The terms to its accessibility, however, remains the sole discretion of its administrator. The Code of Federal Regulations designates the warden as an overseer of prison calls. It requires them to put in place measures to ensure that these phone calls are not abused. It’s also important to remember that you can’t call an inmate. They […]

What’s better than calling someone? Calling someone and seeing them at the same time. Thanks to technology, we can now talk to and see someone from miles away. Where before you will just hear their voice, now you can actually see their faces. It’s almost like talking to them in person. Jails have also caught on with this technological trend fortunately. More and more prison facilities are offering video call options for inmates. Some have even replaced visitations with video calls. This way, they are able to save up on manpower costs. Inmate visitations requires people to escort the prisoner to the visitation area. They are also responsible in making sure that no illegal transactions are happening. With video calls, that manpower could be put to better use elsewhere. Advantage of Video Calls Imagine you’re in Miami and a family member gets arrested up north in Seattle. It would be very inconvenient on your part to go up there and see them in person not to mention the cost of plane tickets. You can call them but nothing beats seeing them face to face. This makes video calls very practical. It gives family members the chance to see and talk […]

For some of us, a life spent behind bars is nothing more than a scary thought. Yet, there are others who have lived through or are living that life. If prison can mean rock-bottom for most people, it can be even more so if you’re a women. Studies suggest that the US Criminal Justice System are dealing women with harsher punishments than their male counterparts. Let’s take the case of Tondalo Hall as an example. She and her child were physically and verbally abused by her boyfriend. When police got wind of the child’s plight, both of them were arrested. What makes it more interesting though is her boyfriend was sentenced to only two years. Meanwhile, Hall has to spend 30 years in prison for failing to protect her child from her abusive boyfriend. This is just one out of the thousands of cases where women got the shorter end of the stick. Even if several prison reforms have been instituted in the past years, the number of women in custody are growing faster than men. Here are other truths about life in women’s prison that will shock you. 1. It Can Be Boring If your idea of what’s life […]

A study conducted in 2010 reported that, in the US, there are more mentally ill people in jails than hospitals. Lack of proper contact with family members due to overpriced prison calls can further inflate this statistic. The study also found that the percentage of inmates and prisoners with serious mental illness had shoot up to 16% from 6.4% in 1983. They are mostly diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression. This dilemma is compounded by the difficulties inmates and their families face to keep communication lines open. With no family or friends to talk to, most prisoners tend to feel heightened anxiety leading to hallucinations and other mental health problems. Effect of Isolation on Mental Health Social isolation can have devastating effects on an individual’s mental well-being. It is much more so for people living behind bars. While free individuals can reach out to friends and family members anytime they want, prisoners are legally required to be isolated from society. Several case studies reported that lack of human contact for prisoners in solitary confinement can lead to a cognitive breakdown. This means that if an otherwise mentally healthy person spends time in jail, there is a high chance […]

In New York City there looms the hottest new exercise craze among those currently locked up. An ex-con/ex-soldier runs a boot camp style exercise camp for the overweight individuals looking to burn off a couple new pounds. Chris Marte is a business owner/inmate/personal trainer thanks to his combination of current dilemmas. An inmate of  New Yorks prison system he began training people to become the best that they can be several years ago. Since then he’s helped inmates lose thousands of pounds in total. He used to be a cocaine dealer, overweight himself, and close to death before a drastic change, getting locked up, made him turn his life around. ConBody is the name of his new company and thanks to the prison’s entrepreneur program his work is now legal and official. Doctors used to tell him that he could die of his health issues if something wasn’t done. He weighed 230lbs and his cholesterol levels were high enough to scare anyone. So he began exercising by running in the prison yard each day. Before he knew it he had lost 70lbs and people were calling him Forest Gump. Other inmates took notice and wanted in on his exercise regime. […]

The families of prisoners suffer not just in the sense that their family member has been convicted and locked up. They suffer not just in the sense that their loved one is going through a tough time but also in the sense that insurance companies are now treating them differently. Even after their loved ones are sent back home the financial penalties continue. Gordon Dewar is someone who speaks out about the excessive penalties insurance companies penalize inmate’s families with. He is the managing director of the Salvation Army General Insurance Corporation and says innocent families become guilty simply by association. These charges can take the form of a wife not being able to insure her home because of her husband’s criminal record or being charges much more than a family otherwise would. Even the children of a ex-convict will have to deal with penalties as they are assumed to carry higher risk from their home criminal connections. The families of sex offenders may have the hardest time getting home insurance however as they carry higher risk of vigilante attack. They are often denied home insurance altogether. Gordon says that innocent families have suffered enough and that they shouldn’t have […]

Thanks to President Donald Trump, America’s private prisons appear to be entering a golden age. The stocks of the two biggest private prison operators — CoreCivic (formerly know as Corrections Corp. of America) and Geo Group — have doubled since election day. CoreCivic (CXW) is up 140% since Trump won in November; Geo Group (GEO) has risen 98%.  For all the talk about how good Trump has been for big banks like Goldman Sachs, he’s been even better for private prison investors. Read more here:

Almost a decade ago, a petition by the families of inmates tired of paying sky-high rates for prison telephone calls landed at the Federal Communications Commission. Martha Wright-Reed of the District, an 86-year-old former nurse who’s blind, and other petitioners didn’t think it was right for their incarcerated sons and daughters to pay so much more than everyone else to keep in touch. Phone companies that charge high rates say most of their revenue goes to governments in the form of commissions that help pay for their criminal justice systems. Read more here: