GRAHAM Correctional Center

[sexinauti]

Well, let me first start off by saying thank you for helping me some info to look into in Springfield, b/c the only thing I've been doing is the internet. I haven't moved yet, probably will move when it starts getting a little warmer. I don't know too much of whats going on w/ the inmates, but I sure will ask my hubby about it. How long your dude get? My hubby get out next year and I can't wait either. Hopefully we'll meet one day and maybe our guys will meet in there.

[Mommato3lilLadies]

My fiance' is finally out of county & in IDOC custody at Graham as of today! I'm glad he's getting it done & over with but having him so close to home & being able to talk to him as much as we could was nice. I miss him already :( I hope he isn't in receiving forever. How long will it take for me to get a letter from him? & how do I know if he has money on his books?

[Coxy girl]

Hillsboro is still not that far away. less than an hour from Springfield.  You will need to set up an account with Consolidated to be able to receive phone calls from him once he is out of receiving.  It took about 3 weeks for me to get one letter.  Sometimes they will be able to get a write out and pay it back once they are out of receiving.  Most of the guys will help each other out like that it seems. My guy sounds like he has the same attitude as your man.  Serve your time, earn what good time you can, stay out of any trouble and just mind your own business.... so far it is working just fine for him.  He gets along with everyone though and is a hard worker.  He spends very little time just sitting in his cell. (unless of course he is on lockdown!)They didn't even get to leave the cell to eat the meals.  He said breakfast arrived at about 3am, lunch came around 9am, but then dinner wasn't until 8pm.  Of course remember he has no clock.  You can write to your LO all the time now though.  If you send something be sure to put his number on the envelope.  He usually gets letters in 5-7 days, and if it is a magazine or book, in a larger envelope in 3 days.  It takes about 7-10 days for me to receive letters from him.  But always worth the wait!  Take care and take care of yourself.

[Mommato3lilLadies]

Thanks for the info. Yeah, their personalities are very similar. He told me he is not there to make friends, he just wants to do whatever possible to come home soon. So as of now, he has 159 days to serve... do you think he would even have enough time to get into drug treatment or any classes? Some say the wait is 3 months...

[Coxy girl]

If you want to receive letters it would require you to send money, quickest way is through Western Union (online).  He will get to go to Commissary one time per month on Friday, as long as it's not the last day of the month (inventory)so no sales.  He can purchase 10-15 write outs along with only hygiene items up to $15.00 while in Receiving all of this is just while he is in receiving.  I would suggest he talk to his counselor about classes.  Depending on when he gets started it might be worth it.  Is this his first time incarcerated?  Because I hear they offer the classes to first timers first, don't know that for sure.  It may take awhile for any money from county to catch up with him at Graham.  Just keep writing to him, because I am sure he will appreciate hearing from you.  Take care.

[superb86]

What is the receiving(x house) like at graham?  Do they get out of there cells at all?  To go to chow or yard?  Can they use the phone or go to commissary?

[Mommato3lilLadies]

Okay I will be doing the western union tomorrow then, I think he may have $ on his account from county but like you said, it will take a while to catch up with him. I want to put just enough on there so he can get the 10-15 write outs and toiletries so I'm not wasting my money in case he gets transfered after Graham. How much do you think it would be? About $30? Also, I don't have a credit or debit card so I won't be able to do it online, do you know how long it takes if you do it at the store?

[Mommato3lilLadies]

coxy girl- yes this is his first time incarcerated. I was thinking if he gets in right after he gets out of receiving (end of Nov), he could only do about 2 months of classes. That would put him at getting out the end of Feb. What is the minimum time-frame of any class they might offer? Do you know if any are less than a month?

[mamacita1]

In order to get any credit for classes, the inmate must COMPLETE the classes. 

[Mommato3lilLadies]

I know, I was just wondering how long shortest class or program was?

[mamacita1]

Most classes that are college courses are a full semester, and run at a regular semester schedule (Aug/Sept through December....Jan through May/June) as these courses are accredited through the local college.  Other classes/programs run from 8 months to 1 year.  Finally, the drug program is about an 18 month program.  I am unfamiliar with any GED courses and intervals.

Why not let him be "schooled" about possible programs that he might be eligible for when he arrives at his final destination?  No doubt he will have a good handle in what he can and can't do as soon as he is out of R&C.  Remember, different facilities offer different things, or nothing at all.

By the way, he won't be able to make any calls while in R&C (it can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks, depending on bed availability before he is assigned to his final destination).  And I wouldn't worry about whether his money will follow him, as it will.

[Mommato3lilLadies]

Thanks Mamacita. I just wanted to try & help him along with this, I figured he would be confused with all of the info he will be getting as this is his first time in & just wanted to be there for him. He will only have 4 months to serve once he's out of r&c as long as it's around a month long. So I guess he won't be able to do any classes or programs, unless there is something different if he gets transfered. I just worry that he will get a counselor that doesn't care to help or guide him along the way. I've heard some stories.

I know he won't be able to call, but I wanted to make sure he would be able to write & get the toiletries he needed. I don't have a credit/debit card so I can't do western union online. Are there any other options for me to send $ that he would be able to receive it quickly so he won't miss his one commisary?

[mamacita1]

I am trying to remember - and if memories serves me correctly, he won't be getting commissary while in R&C.  My son wrote me a few letters because someone gave him some write-outs.  It was only after he was at his final destination that he was eligible for commissary.

The first time I sent him money, I used Western Union - it arrived within days, and is the best way to go about this, especially because mail can be slow (incoming) and even slower to post any money orders.  I think you can go to any currency exchange to send him a western union.

Seems quite lucky that he will only have to do 4 months, most have a minimum of 61 days - they are referred to as short-timers, and are in for too short of a time to qualify for anything that might let them out sooner, as they are already doing "minimum time".  I would say that you both should feel quite lucky that he will only be doing 4 months, if you are correct in your assertion.  IDOC generally follows their own protocal......

Good luck to the both of you.

[Dazzler]

You can take cash to a currency exchange or someplace like Walmart and send it Quick Collect by Western Union.  It costs $8.95.  It is received usually in 24 hours.

[Mommato3lilLadies]

Well 4 months assuming he gets his 6 months good time... and it's already been a month almost since he's been gone, then another month or so in R&C. He has a 2 yr sentence. I sure hope I get a letter! Thanks everyone for the help!

[allgone]

Like I said before don't get your hopes up that he'll get into any classes.  They usually reserve them for people with more time.  Also I know the GED class my BF was in you had to go for 90 days before you got any good time.

[mamacita1]

So allgone, did your bf get his GED?  How long did it take him?  Or is he still trying to get it?

[Mommato3lilLadies]

I am trying to not get my hopes up for anything anymore! Things def. don't go as planned with the DOC that is for sure!  He has his diploma so he won't be able to take the GED. Hopefully he can get into something though.

[allgone]

So allgone, did your bf get his GED?  How long did it take him?  Or is he still trying to get it?

Nope he didn't get it.  He's been transferred to four different places not counting Stateville.  He's had to start over each time.  Each new teacher tells him that the last teacher needed to sign something and transfer his credit with him but none of them have supposedly done it.  This last transfer was for disciplinary reasons so he lost the school credit from the last place and now he's at the bottom of the list to get back into school.  So he ended up screwing himself.

I know he was in class with a guy who got his GED in three months time, another took six months and there were a few who had been in the class for a lot longer but it all depends on how far down in your skills you have to start based on your placeent tests.

But his teacher at county said becasue he was in school there, when he gets out he can get a discount rate to take GED classes at the community college.  So we're just in a holding pattern for now.  You know, like most of the people involved with the department of corrections.  :)

[Teddy]

A friend of mine is getting released from Graham in a couple weeks and he wants me to pick him up. I have been searching this and other websites for information on where to go, etc and have been unable to find anything. I did find something on one of the forums that stated only immediate family members are able to pick up released prisoners, is this true? I am not an immediate family member so I am hoping someone here could explain the procedures for picking up a released prisoner so he isn't stuck there without a ride home!
Thank You in advance for any help in this matter.