Surviving in jail is not really difficult if you know the right people to talk to. Sometimes, all it takes is logic, common sense, intuition and discipline. Different states in the United States are governed by different laws and orders, too. In New Mexico, for instance, there are guidelines for families and friends of the incarcerated and the contents therein may not be the same with those in New Jersey or New Hampshire. Read on to know more about how to survive in New Mexico Department of Correction.
1. Your loved one who is in jail may feel terrible that he doesn’t see you often, or that there are strict visitation rules in New Mexico prisons. Such tight security procedures are made to ensure the safety of the inmates, the visitors and the staff of the detention facility. Before you visit your loved one, it would be wise to ask about the policies in the detention center. There are schedules to be observed, and there is given time for families to visit. You may not be allowed to bring a lot of things, including cellular phones or any gadget for communication. Everything that you have will be subjected to scrutiny.
When your loved one gets homesick, you may help him cope by visiting regularly. You may update him on what’s happening to your children or to his parents. Bring photos. You may also bring his lawyer with you so you can talk about speeding up the case.
2. Know the terms and abbreviations used in New Mexico correction facilities. Examples of these abbreviations are Central New Mexico Correctional Facility (CNMCF), Otero Country Prison Facility (OCPF), Lea County Correctional Facility (LCCF) and Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility (SNMCF). The common terms, on the other hand, will help you and your loved one discuss and understand the intricacies of his sentence and length of service in jail. These terms are concurrent sentences, wherein more than one sentence is served; conviction, wherein the accused is already found guilty of a crime; and custody level, in which the resident stays in the correction facility based on the crime committed.
In short, being extra knowledgeable about these things can help your loved one on how to survive in New Mexico Department of Correction, for he can understand the extent of his stay and what he should do. A lawyer should also be able to witness such discussions. Though this sounds cynical, you never know when these legal terms come in handy. There is such a thing as frame up, and you would not like to see your loved one spend the rest of his time in jail without a proper trial.
3. Depending on the gravity of the crime committed and the performance of your loved one in jail, he can request for a parole, so he can finish his sentence while serving the community instead. Here, a parole plan will be created, and matters such as where the parolee will live or serve his sentence will be discussed. The New Mexico Corrections Department staff is tasked to create the parole plan.
While in jail, your loved one may spend his time rebuilding his faith or renewing an old hobby. The department of correction has a particular program for the day. Sometimes, these programs are sponsored by non-government organizations to help inmates lead better lives. Examples of these programs are livelihood programs, wherein inmates are taught life skills and entrepreneurship so they can start anew. In some cases, inmates can even use their skills to earn their own money, and have something to spend on personal necessities while they are in jail.
Other times, the program is of educational nature, wherein inmates are allowed to study under the tutelage of volunteer teachers. After months of tutelage, the inmates receive a certificate or diploma. This program gives them a chance to be employed once they are out of jail. Over the years, at least, the impression people have of jails has changed. Inmates are now being “rehabilitated” more than being “punished”.
4. Inmates have access to medical and mental health care services. How to survive in New Mexico Department of Correction in this context means that your loved one should be referred to a resident physician if he does not feel well or if there are medications to maintain. Personal doctors are not allowed in correction facilities unless they have to turn over medical information to the in-house doctor. It also helps if you can already advise or inform the staff regarding your loved one’s health condition. This way, you can discuss medication, prescription, and other matters concerning the inmate’s health.
There are times when an inmate has to be separated from the rest of the inmates due to a medical condition. This will be subject to the approval of the correction staff. The thing about prisons is that when an inmate contracts a contagious disease, the rest of the inmates could get infected. Ergo, the medical condition of an inmate must be established early on to prevent such things from happening.
5. Nothing beats survival in prison than being participative in activities and obeying the authorities. Showing a good reputation may actually shorten your loved one’s stay in the correction facility. He must give due respect to his fellow inmates and avoid trouble and gang fights at all costs. He must also do his tasks, whether it’s cleaning, gardening or manufacturing products for livelihood. This way, he doesn’t only survive in prison, but he also earns the respect of the other prisoners and his police officers.
Moreover, your loved one must follow the rules and set aside any personal conflict with his inmates. His inmates will be his source of comfort in tough times, especially if his family is not around. His inmates will eventually become his friends.
Another way to survive in a detention facility is to be close to God. In jail, inmates are taught how to pray, too, regardless of their religion. Even the inmates with the hardest of hearts learn to accept their fate when they have allowed spirituality to take over their lives.
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