Uniform Colors and What they Mean

[Mazzy]

Please can someone tell me what the change in uniform means, his pic had him in yellow and now it is blue. Does this mean he is moving or has moved. OMG im shaking

Mazzy

[codyandbecca]

 A yellow jumpsuit means transfers and writs and blue is the general color for their parent institiution. My husband wears all blue clothes.

[2Close2TheGrnd]

A yellow jumpsuit means transfers and writs and blue is the general color for their parent institiution. My husband wears all blue clothes.

so does this mean he's been moved to his parent home? Assuming he was in R&C of course???

[Mazzy]

I so hate not having chat. I watch that pic all the time and today now finally it is diffrent. He has been in R&C 14 days today and I just want him moved and I know it seems crazy but seeing it changed just made me batty all over again!!!!!

[2Close2TheGrnd]

I so hate not having chat. I watch that pic all the time and today now finally it is diffrent. He has been in R&C 14 days today and I just want him moved and I know it seems crazy but seeing it changed just made me batty all over again!!!!!

I know how you feel... I hate not having chat too... It was so nice to be able to go in there and admin be there to answer so many critical questions for us... Look under his picture. That tells us where he is housed... See if it still says SV Reception or another facility?

[2Close2TheGrnd]

A yellow jumpsuit means transfers and writs and blue is the general color for their parent institiution. My husband wears all blue clothes.

Cody... above where you say "transfers and writs and blue" do you mean "white and blue"? B/c my son has had white on since the day he hit SV R&C... Does that mean if he's in white, (assuming you ment white) that he stays at SV for his full 61 days????

[Dazzler]

Yes, as soon as he's moved he gets his regular 'blues' to wear and have his first picture taken in them....I guess his IDOC page should update sometime tonite after 9 p.m. and you'll know where he's been sent....unless you hear from VINE soon...

Hmm, white uniforms were usually worn by mental patients. 

[Mazzy]

TY everyone just got notice he is been moved to Vandalia 

[Treazur729]

Vandalia isn't bad at all it a level 6 which is good. My bf is in vandalia and the visits are great. They are in dorms instead of cells.

[2Close2TheGrnd]

TY everyone just got notice he is been moved to Vandalia 

Awww... don't be sad.... Is this a far distance for you to travel...?? I am hoping my son gets transferred to East Moline, it is the closest to me and it would at least give me the oportunity to go visit him. ...((((((HUGS))))))))

[IMissMyBaby]

I understand about far distance. My bf is a little over 5 hours away (one way). It sucks, but talking on the phone with him makes me feel a little better.

[ernie694]

Hate to bust anyones bubble about the whole yellow thing.  My hubby has been at his parent facility for over a month and a new pic did get taken when he arrived there but he was still in his yellow jumpbsuit.  My guess would be hey took the pic at his parent facility before he changed into the new clothes down there. His ID he wears has a pic of him in blues but that pic has not been posted on IDOC.  So if you are looking at just the color they are wearing as an indicator of a possible recent move i think you may be setting yourself up for a down fall.  We are thinking that until the yearly update pic is taken or a (God willing) transfer takes place b4 then that is what he will be wearing on IDOC site.   I think this is just anything great case for the "there is no norm for IDOC". 

[dbaby_1982]

I agree, Vandalia isn't that bad. My guy is there now after being in Lawrence, and that place was hell on lockdown all the time compared to this. I love(and hate due to the bill) that he gets pretty much free use of the phone. We can talk as often as we want and for me, that makes it alot easier. He hates being around all the guys 24/7 in the dorm setting, but you have to take the bad with the good. On the picture note, the website still shows him in yellow the one that was taken upon his arrival to Vandalia last May. His year is coming up, so anxious to see if they take a new one next week when the year is up.

[codyandbecca]

my husbands jumpsuit in his parent facility is also yellow. that was his first pic ever taken. he wears strictly blues now. he said he can take a new pic for $5 so i told him he does look different it may be time for that .

[Mazzy]

It is a ways for me 3 hours 47 min but I will do my best to find rides. I also can get calls now and get to visit hopefully soon. TY guys I have taken a deep breath and I think I will be ok now.

Mazzy

[2Close2TheGrnd]

It is a ways for me 3 hours 47 min but I will do my best to find rides. I also can get calls now and get to visit hopefully soon. TY guys I have taken a deep breath and I think I will be ok now.

Mazzy

Well... you're closer then I would be... Vandalia is 250 miles from me which translates into at the very least a 5 hour drive one way. And that would be very stressful for me at my age...  ... So I am really praying for East Moline, which is only 150 miles from me... still not a stones throw, but better then the alternative.

[Treazur729]

I live in chicago and vandalia is about 41/2 hrs from me. I can't wait to go see him next week oh I'm so excited.

[2Close2TheGrnd]

I live in chicago and vandalia is about 41/2 hrs from me. I can't wait to go see him next week oh I'm so excited.

I live in a SW suburb of Chicago and when I googled my address to Vandalia's CC, it was 249 miles door to door.

[IMissMyBaby]

Yeah, it seems like our LO's get sent far from where they live. It's like the IDOC can't give us a break. I mean gosh they are already in prison can't they be within a reasonable driving distance from where their family is? It's like a total (round trip) 10-11 hour drive for me, that is just crazy. Ah. I can't wait to see my bf though it's been 9 months since I have hugged him.

[Bobsgirl17]

I have a 3 hour drive to see my man in Taylorville.  I have a question about the transfers...isn't it true that they cannot request a transfer until they have been at their parent house for a year?  Then after the year they can request every 6 months?  That's what he was told by his counselor and I was told by IDOC. 

[Dazzler]

That's right....they have to wait to request a transfer.  Most Illinois prisons are placed in remote areas of the state on purpose....for security and also most populated areas don't want a prison in their backyard.  I also believe inmates are placed at opposite ends of the state to inhibit them from escaping and also to limit their family contact.  If you were able to visit them on a regular weekly basis you probably wouldn't feel the need to feed the telephone kickback fund...The prisons aren't fond of handling visitors and this also cuts down on the amount of visitors they have to deal with.

[loving_Liz]

TY everyone just got notice he is been moved to Vandalia 

Females where blue pants and white shirts. They can buy blue shirts if they want to.

[ChicagoTarheel]

I am confused about the colors.  My LO has been in blue since being at East Moline and I just checked and his picture has him in a yellow jumpsuit.  Does this mean he is getting ready to transfer?  His letters have been really delayed so it's been a couple of weeks since I've heard from him.  He is supposed to get out in less than 6 months.  Can anyone help? 

[Dazzler]

Yellow means he's moving somewhere...to another prison or on a writ to court....what does his webpage say? 

[ChicagoTarheel]

The IDOC website still says In Custody at East Moline.  I will keep checking back to see if they update it.

[ChicagoTarheel]

Dazzler,

I hope you see this.  My LO was transferred to Dixon, his IDOC page updated last night.  I have another question . . . I just set up consolidated account 15 minutes ago.  My LO called me shortly after. . . Did he get a message that the account is in process of being set up when he called?  I really want to talk to him today but am worried he won't try back if he thinks the account is not set up.  THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!  I can't wait to talk to him.  It's been way too long !

[kidz ladii]

I know that blue is the color they wear once they hit where they are supposed to be. My man told me that the ones in yellow are the transfers.

I know that in county you wear a yellow or orange jumpsuit if you are a shanker .

[Still love my son]

 

Well there was a TIME when Yellow meant being transported BUT
My son has been in for almost a year, and has been in YELLOW the whole time, must be more BUDGET savings to NOT UPDATE PICS!!!!  I know a couple inmates that were transported earlier this year and they all still show up in YELLOW from when they arrived MONTHS ago..............................                   

[kamiller]

So is he still actually wearing yellow or is it just the in the pic?  I think they only update pics once a year unless they get transferred or appearence change.

[Still love my son]

He is WEARING YELLOW in the PIC, but not everyday he is in blues and whatever they only stay in yellow DURING transport.

My POINT was there are many inmates right now on the DOC site that are in YELLOW but they are NOT in transit!!!!

[kamiller]

Yeah I think that's just because they got there pic changed when they were in transit and then there is no reason to take there pic again when they change to blue.  But with these budget cuts it could be possible that they are staying in yellow just to save a few bucks on uniforms.

[pschuh]

My son is in white at Statesville in R&C; does all prisons have the color "blue"?

[Marks_guy]

White, I believe, is the color they are assigned while in R&C. When he is transferred to his parent facility, he will be given a yellow uniform. Once at the new place and settled in, he will be given his blues.

[IloveDCfrombooneco]

My man was in Stateville R&C from Feb 25th till they transferred him March 8th ( to Vandalia) and in his picture he was in yellow, I know here in the county he was in orange and white, so I'm assuming the yellow was givin to him in R&C.

[Marks_guy]

Yellow is the "moving" color. He was given that uniform when sent to Vandalia. In a couple of weeks, he'll switch to the normal blues. That change probably won't show up on his IDOC pic. Perhaps due to the budget crunch, they aren't updating the pics everytime there is a change. Just wanted to warn you so you wouldn't get upet if his picture shows him in yellow for a long time.

[Still love my son]

 

I miss the PIC updates-That Yellow is BUTT ugly-
Would prefer to see the BLUES!!!!!!!       

[Marks_guy]

I agree. M has the skin tone to pull off the yellow, but he looks dang good in blue.

[IloveDCfrombooneco]

Marks_Guy what I should have said was my man was in orange/white in county, they transferred him on Feb 25th to Stateville, I checked Doc website and he was in yellow until the 3-8, when I got a call from vine at 2:34p.m that he was being transferred to Vandalia, by 4p.m his new pic was posted in his blues, so maybe he stays in yellow while in R&C, because they know he will be transferring when a bed opens up? Just a guess, as I'm still new to all of this.

[kenken]

As a former Inmate of D.O.C. this is an easy question.....Yellow jump suites are for intake (R&C) and for transfers, inmates will have a yellow jumpsuit on for their intial picture.  Once placed in General population, you get your state blues.  Consisting of 3 button up blue shirts, 3 blue pants, and a blue "state" coat.  Brown jumpsuits are for inmates in SEG status, or SEG TRANSFERS.  Inmates with a blue uniform and a orange stripe are either in a work camp, or they have outside clearance. 

[kemos girl]

My friends man was released today and in his pic he's wearing all white, Any idea why white?

[Dazzler]

Those wearing white are called 'ghosts' in bootcamps.  Also, some prisons keep those on the psych units in white uniforms.....

[mdslhrst]

Jusdt out of curiosity what do different colored name tags mean? I've noticed a few inmates with a blue name tag rather than white.

[Dazzler]

It's their security level.  We have a whole thread about it here somewhere.  Try using the 'search' feature.

[iloveu88]

  So I am new to this site and I have questons because I wanted to know abou tthe yellow jumpsuites and what they mean...Also what is the parent location..My loved one is in IL River...Please help me? I miss u so much cant wait to see you...I will always love u...

[Forevermah]

So I am new to this site and I have questons because I wanted to know abou tthe yellow jumpsuites and what they mean...Also what is the parent location..My loved one is in IL River...Please help me? I miss u so much cant wait to see you...I will always love u...

Yellow jumpsuits are normally when they are in transit and if he is at Illinois River, that is his parent prison.  Welcome to IPT!

[jenplus2]

My LO is wearing white in his latest picture. Any ideas as to what that means, or does it mean absolutely nothing?

[Forevermah]

My LO is wearing white in his latest picture. Any ideas as to what that means, or does it mean absolutely nothing?

jenplus, Dazzler answered the question of white uniform here, not sure if this applies:

http://www.illinoisprisontalk.com/index.php/topic,16317.msg151868.html#msg151868

Workers in BC can wear white too.

[jenplus2]

Thank you Forevermah, I did see that post but it doesn't apply to my LO (not in bootcamp or psych), so I was hoping maybe there was another explanation?

[Dazzler]

Sometimes hospital or kitchen workers can wear white.

[jenplus2]

Ah maybe it has to do with his job, I apologize, I didn't think of that. With his job he actually has outside clearance, so maybe that has something to do with it... thanks for your replies.

[mmarthapena1]

Sorry if this has been answered before, but here goes. My l/o was just recently (2 weeks ago) transfered to Vandalia. His IDOC picture is still showing him in the yellow, which I know is usually for transfers. How long does it usually take for the IDOC website to update him with a new picture in his "blues"? Thanks in advance!

[Dazzler]

Maybe not until his b'day.

[Marks_guy]

It could be a year before the picture changes. IDOC has become really lax about updating the ID photos. M has been at his facility for about 9 months, and is still shown in yellow.

[mmarthapena1]

Thanks Dazz & Marks_guy!!! I spoke with him today and he did say about a year. He said they take our pics once a year, regardless of the color. Wow. Thank you for the replys.

[TeArSInThErAiN]

what about green uniforms?

[Mrs.Habben]

My Husband has been in R & C At Stateville since August 12th and his shirt is an Olive Green. He was told by a TASC guy that he was going to either TaylorVille Or East Moline. What does that color mean?

[TeArSInThErAiN]

my lo is also in stateville receiving as of august thirteenth and has an olive green shirt...

[RT]

Things must have changed since I worked there, green meant extreme escape risk. Yellow is a transfer color. Brown or tan is seg to seg. Blue collared shirts are the general issue, Stateville R&C does have blue jumpsuits, but they cannot be confused with the prison issue blues.


Rick

[RT]

my lo is also in stateville receiving as of august thirteenth and has an olive green shirt...

Is he awaiting Boot Camp?

Rick

[Dazzler]

Sounds like the IDOC got a better deal on some olive drab material instead of blue.....  Maybe they're using green for R and C...they are still transporting in yellow.

[TeArSInThErAiN]

 dazzler! rt he's not waiting for bootcamp.

[RT]

There goes the "getting him psyched for BC" theory.... The only other idea I have is there was a sale at the Army Surplus. Maybe the girls at Dwight made a mistake and instead dyed the OD Green? Your guess is as good as mine. IDOC never lets anyone know their reasoning for doing things.Now what would really surprise me is if they actually told some of us just what the hell they are doing and why. But that would be to much like right.


Rick

[rissa7997]

My old man was transferred from Vandalia to Centralia and has the olive brown color in his picture. I know he's in seg now, maybe that has something to do with it?

[Dazzler]

olive green and brown SEG uniforms are two different colors. 

[Mrs.Habben]

Thanks RT and Dazzler. Yeah  he is not an escape risk. I got a letter from him today and he said that he was outside and has been going outside and that he got sunburnt. So they are letting him out which makes me feel alittle better. Just waiting now to see when he goes to his Parent Facility. This is the best site. You guys help out so much. I recommended this site to some of my friends who are going through what I am. I am just happy he is not in Orange. not his bets color!!!  

[blah2u]

my husband was just sent to stateville R&C on Thursday.  His picture shows him in a brown jumpsuit.  What does that mean?

[RT]

Could be the only one they had. Usually R&C color is baby blue. Brown or tan is seg.


Rick

[blah2u]

how would i know if that's the only one they had or if he was in seg?  i haven't heard from him (and from what I'm reading on here, probably won't) until he transfers to his parent institution.

[TimeStandsStill]

I wouldn't worry too much about the color of the jumpsuit.   Even some of the parent institutions are low on their supply of the regular prison blues right now.  I hope you hear from him soon.  Try to be patient and try not to worry.  I know it's easier said than done but it will get better.