Blog - Prison Insight

Can You go to Prison For Debt?

Debtors’ prisons don’t exist anymore, right? Congress passed a law against them nearly two centuries ago, and the Supreme Court has ruled multiple times that incarcerating people who are too poor to pay their debt was unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection clause. Technically, debtors’ prisons are against the law. But, in the past […]

Can You Claim Someone In Prison on Your Taxes?

When I was in prison, I was lucky enough to have family and friends who sent me money regularly. If you are sending money to an inmate, please know that you are loved and appreciated. Having someone put money on your books is a big deal. Inmates are responsible for buying their own hygiene items, […]

Can You Have A Cat In Prison?

I have to be honest. I’m in love with Dale, my 2-year-old cat. I adopted him just a couple of months after I was released from prison when he was just eight weeks old, and he is the first cat I have ever owned. My parents raised me to believe I was a dog person, […]

Can You Have Dreads In Prison?

When you go to prison, everything is taken away from you. From your personal property to your clothes, it’s all boxed up and stored, and you emerge from intake wearing state clothes and carrying a bag filled with a pillow, blanket, towel, and a few basic toiletries. There is no tolerance for personal style behind […]

Can Dogs Visit You In Prison?

When you are in prison, there is nothing better than getting to visit with your friends and family. A few hours with your loved ones can go a long way when it comes to your attitude and ability to survive prison life. I can’t tell you how much I looked forward to hearing my name […]

Can You Wear Dentures In Prison?

When I was a little girl, I loved going to the dentist. I know that makes me a bit odd, but I had a nice, friendly dentist, and visiting him got me out of school for a few hours every six months. I was lucky to have a mom who took dental health seriously, and […]

Can You Kiss During Prison Visits?

How long do you think you could go without kissing your spouse or significant other? Do you think you would last a week or a month? How about ten years? I’ve never been a big fan of public displays of affection, but when it comes to prison visits, I make an exception, and so does […]

Can You Dip In Prison?

When I was in prison between 2013 and 2017, inmates were still allowed to smoke outside in Missouri prisons. As a smoker, that was something to celebrate. Since then, Missouri has banned tobacco products on prison grounds because of a lawsuit filed by a non-smoking inmate who is serving a life sentence. Now, as I […]

Why Does An Inmate Need Money?

As Liza Minelli told us in Cabaret, money makes the world go round. And, even though that movie reference tells you way too much about my age and geeky interests, it is a universal truth, both in the free world and inside of a prison. Money is everything in prison. It can transform your experience […]

Can You Wear Jewelry In Prison?

Jewelry is a reflection of personal style, and even if it isn’t expensive, some pieces have sentimental value that can’t be measured. From necklaces to ankle bracelets, you wear jewelry for a reason, and it is an important accessory when you are dressing up. Of course, things change when you are in prison. The Department […]