Blog - PROBATION INFORMATION NETWORK

Reentry Resources – Texas

Reentry Resources — Texas With over 700,000 Texas residents navigating the criminal justice system across 254 counties, it can be very hard for justice-involved individuals and their loved ones to find the reentry resources they need. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice recognizes this issue and compiled a massive document full of various resources by Texas county. It has resources for topics such as substance abuse, housing, mental health, medical care, and much more. It provides addresses, contact information, website addresses, and comments about each resource. Having access to such resources is essential to those in need of help when returning home from prison. Texans, if you or a loved one has been incarcerated, click on the link and see all the resources available. https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/documents/rid/RID_Reentry_Resource_Guide.pdf For more reentry resources available in Texas and across the US, explore our Reentry Resources page.

Annuity.org – Financial Education

Resource Spotlight: Annuity.org Annuity.org is an online financial education center providing carefully researched, and timely financial information. The free, comprehensive web resource provides professional insight from experienced financial experts on a variety of financial topics, in hopes of helping you make educated financial decisions. Men and women recently released from prison often face an entirely new set of challenges, especially when it comes to finances. Annuity.org is here to help you navigate those financial challenges. With resources ranging from general financial literacy education, to long term financial topics such as income annuities. Other topics explained include saving and investing, personal finance basics, retirement planning, veteran resources, and more. Taking the initiative to self-educate and grow your financial knowledge is important, and can contribute to your success after release!

Love in the Time of Covid

Love in the Time of Covid How do we support our incarcerated loved ones during a pandemic? Our own lives are in various states of disarray yet we must still support our friends and family behind bars. The visiting rooms have been closed for months and facilities are on modified lockdown. In the best of times, life in a federal prison can most generously be described as bearable, but these are far from the best of times. The reports we hear from our loved ones are disturbing to say the least. And that’s just what they’re willing to tell us. The best thing we can do to keep their spirits up is to keep ours up as well. Stay in touch and stay positive. Write letters and emails, send books and magazines, send pictures even if they’re just of our smiling faces. Remind them that we haven’t forgotten about them, that we’re still here. This is just one chapter and it will eventually end. We just have to keep turning the pages until it does.

Legal Resources: Alabama

Legal Resources: Alabama ACLU of Alabama 207 Montgomery Street, Suite 910 Montgomery, AL 36104 Phone: (334) 262-0304 Fax: (334) 269-5666 Email: info@aclualabama.org Website: www.aclualabama.org Alabama State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service Phone: (800) 392-5660 (fastest method of receiving referral) Spanish: (888) 835-3505 Fax: (334) 261-6310 Email: lrs@alabar.org Website: www.alabar.org/for-the-public/get-legal-help Equal Justice Initiative 122 Commerce Street Montgomery, AL 36104 Phone: (334) 269-1803 Fax: (334) 269-1806 Email: contact_us@eji.org Website: www.eji.org

Equal Justice Initiative

Resource Spotlight: Equal Justice Initiative “The Equal Justice Initiative is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.” — eji.org Millions of children and over ten million citizens in the United States have a loved one or immediate family member in prison. Our country incarcerates more citizens than any other country globally, with mass incarceration disproportionately affecting minorities and those in lower-income areas. Many of those incarcerated do not have sufficient resources to obtain legal help and guidance throughout their sentence. The Equal Justice Initiative recognizes the need for criminal justice reform and works to challenge the death penalty, excessive punishment, and racial injustice through litigation, advocacy, and education. Visit their website to learn more: eji.org

Families of Incarcerated Individuals

Families of Incarcerated Individuals Ensuring your loved one has the utmost support and guidance when they are in prison and throughout their transition back into the real world is critical. Families and loved ones also need the right resources to adjust appropriately for these new challenges ahead. Children are one of the most prominent vulnerable groups when dealing with these adjustments. Over 2 million children in America have at least one parent incarcerated. Fortunately, there are resources and programs to help reduce the trauma these kids face. Check out these valuable resources for children who need help dealing with their parent's incarceration. Child Welfare Information Gateway - Supports children and families affected by parental incarceration. Sesame Street in Communities – Provides multimedia, bilingual programs for children of incarcerated parents. SKIP, Inc – Save Kids of Incarcerated Parents provides support services to children of incarcerated pa…

Sex Offender Registry Requirements

Sex Offender Registry Requirements Conditions of Supervision aren’t the only set of rules that vary based on location. For returning citizens who are required to register, the rules they must follow vary widely and can be confusing and overwhelming. States have a lot of discretion in how they write their SOR laws and the result is a patchwork of restrictions. Just look at the so called Thousand Foot Rule, which prohibits a registrant from living or working within 1,000 ft. of schools, playgrounds, daycares, etc. For some states that “etc.” includes churches, making finding housing and employment in the Bible Belt near impossible. In some states the Thousand Foot Rule is actually 1,500 ft., in others it’s 2,000. Complicating matters even further, it is often left up to local law enforcement jurisdictions to determine what establishments meet the criteria for certain restrictions. For example, the “etc.” for Georgia’s Thousand Foot Rule includes public pools. …

Supervised Release

Supervised Release When someone is sentenced in federal court they receive two sentences. The custody portion will be served in a federal correctional facility that can be anywhere in the country. If they’re lucky it might be close enough for frequent visits from family and friends. Some, however, are sent clear across the country to serve their time. Their time in custody, that is. The second portion of the sentence imposed is Supervised Release. *This is not to be confused with Probation, another term entirely, even though those on Supervised Release report to a federal Probation Officer. The simple difference is this: Probation is imposed INSTEAD of a prison sentence, while Supervised Release is served AFTER release from federal prison. Supervised Release can vary from district to district, though many conditions are the same across the country. There are Mandatory Conditions of Supervision, which the federal courts have dictated must be inc…

Incarcerated Veterans

Incarcerated Veterans Whether it be our neighbors, friends, brothers, sisters, parents, loved ones – many of us have the honor of saying we know someone who served and protected this nation. Our veterans sacrifice a great deal to protect our freedoms in this country. Sadly there are over 180,000 of our veterans in prison. Many are facing mental health issues from PTSD to anxiety, depression and alcohol abuse. A large percentage face homelessness upon being released. Some researchers even found incarcerated veterans may have a higher risk of suicide. We cannot overlook our veterans in prison as they continue struggling with past hardships. Probation Information Network recognizes the importance of helping our incarcerated veterans and wants to make sure their time through the federal criminal justice system runs as smoothly as possible. Check out the resources below to learn more about the help available for justice-involved veterans. https://www.va.gov/homeless/vjo.asp …

Release Prep

Release Prep Over 600,000 people are released from state and federal prisons each year. In 2019, the Federal Bureau of Prisons alone released 45,075 inmates. For these men and women and their families, planning ahead for their release is crucial. The transition from prison to home can be extremely stressful, but with the right information and resources it can be successful. Our Release Preparation Guide walks through the whole process, starting at the very beginning of a person’s involvement with the justice system all the way to the day of their release from federal prison. Defendants and families alike should take a look at this Release Preparation Guide. For any questions or concerns, contact us to schedule a consultation. We can help you prepare now to make your transition home a success.

Voluntary Surrender

Voluntary Surrender Voluntary Surrender is when a federal defendant is not taken into custody at sentencing but is allowed to report to their assigned prison at a later date. Many federal defendants are waiting at home for instructions on where and when to report. For those lucky enough to be given this opportunity, we have created a detailed guide that covers how to prepare before Voluntary Surrender, what to expect during the process, and what you will be allowed to bring with you. Make the most of your time waiting and prepare yourself and your family for your upcoming surrender. Take a look at our guide, and if you still have questions or concerns contact us to schedule a consultation. We can walk you and your family through the whole process and bring you peace of mind throughout each step of the way. For more information on Voluntary Surrenders, visit the Federal Bureau of Prisons' Voluntary Surrenders page.

Federal Lawyer Near Me

Federal Lawyer Near Me Search for a federal lawyer in Atlanta, or any major U.S. city, and the results can be overwhelming. 50+ results and you have to research them individually to find out if they practice the area of federal law you need help with. Federal criminal defense attorneys specialize, as most lawyers do, but the big directories don’t sub-categorize beyond “Federal.” Probation Information Network built a directory where law firms can list the areas of federal criminal defense they practice, so you can search for a lawyer near you who has experience with the type of case you need representation for. Drug offenses, fraud, gun offenses, illegal reentry, registry removal, sex offenses, and supervised release revocation are vastly different situations that require a lawyer with experience and passion for that defense. Use our custom built directory at https://www.probationinfo.org/find-a-lawyer/ to search by practice area and location to find the best fit for your …