What happens when a prisoner is released?

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  • What happens when a prisoner is released?

    I've never been to a prison so I have very little frame of reference. Say someone's jail term or prison sentence is up, what happens? I'm guessing when the day of release comes round they don't just open the door and say 'off you go'. Is there some kind of procedure? After release do they just open the door and walk out, or does someone from law enforcement escort them, or transport them somewhere?
    "This kid is going to be big"

  • #2
    Re: What happens when a prisoner is released?

    I know at the federal prison in downtown LA they give them a gray jumpsuit and a bag for their stuff and send them to Union Station and that's it. Once your paperwork's done, you're no longer their problem.
    Chicks Who Script podcast

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    • #3
      Re: What happens when a prisoner is released?

      FWIW, a few comments. There's what actually happens and there's what an audience will believe/has come to expect. Every movie I've seen shows the ex-prisoner collecting his stuff at a "cage" window and then simply walking out the door.

      There are books out and there may stuff to be found online along the lines of "What to expect when you're sent to prison." AFAIK, they are aimed at so-called white-collar criminals.

      Some people are released to halfway houses - places where they must stay unless/except when they go out for certain allowable reasons, such as to go to a job. That setup was used this season on the TV show Weeds.

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      • #4
        Re: What happens when a prisoner is released?

        There will be different procedures for "jails" and "prisons" also. Most counties will keep inmates in the county jail if the sentence is for a misdemeanor or even a felony but with less than one year of incarceration. County jails tend to be in urban areas -- such as Twin Towers in downtown Los Angeles. Or Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas. I mention those two, because I know how both of them do it...

        Not cuz I'm a criminal -- but I have a friend who's a Sheriff's Deputy and he worked at Twin Towers for a while. And well... I've had to bail someone out of Clark County.

        And they're both pretty similar. They actually do give you back whatever was confiscated when you were booked. It comes in clear plastic bag with the pertinent info written on it. Plus you get a printout, which lists what's in the bag. You also get written orders for your next court appearance or orders to appear before at the probation office if that's applicable. Inmates usually have an account at the jail that's been set up to buy items from the commissary. So if there's any balance there, you'll get that as well. Either in check form or cash if it's a low amount (again depends on the particular jail). And then you are walked to a door and released. That's it. You're on the street and good luck. Because you have no specific notice of when you're getting let out with bail, it's not like anyone can even be waiting for you. The guy I bailed had to walk around for a few blocks before he found a payphone at the bus station to call for a ride.

        Another note: when you're released on bond. They don't give a shite what time of day it is either. However long it takes for the paperwork to go through... They'll go bang a prisoner's cell and walk him through "check out". Which can actually take a couple hours in and of itself. So they'll street people at 2 AM, 5 AM whatever... Also note... Breakfast at these jails is served like 4 or 4:30 in the morning. So the whole schedule is whacked compared to "normal."

        Actual "PRISONS" I would guess have somewhat different release procedures, since they tend to be in more rural areas. But thankfully, my criminal cohorts haven't done anything serious enough to get them sent upstate.... Yet...

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        • #5
          Re: What happens when a prisoner is released?

          yep - a lot depends on where you are (rural, city or county), prison or jail, the nature of the release, etc...

          do what you need to make it work for your story and locate it accordingly.

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          • #6
            Re: What happens when a prisoner is released?

            How to get the correct answer, call up the Police POC and ask?
            Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue

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            • #7
              Re: What happens when a prisoner is released?

              Originally posted by NikeeGoddess View Post
              do what you need to make it work for your story and locate it accordingly.
              This is really the key point. Are there circumstances where a cop might come into contact with or deal with the prisoner when he is being released from prison or jail?
              "This kid is going to be big"

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              • #8
                "What happens when a prisoner is released?"

                In Canadian penitentiaries, (for sentences of two years or more), an inmate is usually released in the morning, after breakfast. Time to gather up any belongings from their cell; then, an escort to the administration offices to retrieve their personal property, to dress in civilian clothing, to collect any paperwork and money, and to call a taxi, (if someone isn't picking them up). The John Howard Society offers resettlement services, (pick up at the penitentiary, travel to another city, finding a place to live, etc.), for most released inmates; but, once a sentence is finished, the former inmate is on their own upon their exit from the front door of the penitentiary, (just like any visitor). Quite a few, (from the federal institutions around Kingston), take a taxi to a bar, for their first drink after years, then catch an intercity bus to go back home, (if family and friends don't come for them). Remember that, (being behind bars for a few years), their driver's license has likely expired and needs to be renewed.

                "The John Howard Society has sixty-five offices across Canada which specialize in the reintegration of individuals exiting the prison system back into society. They also work to keep individuals from making decisions that will increase their likelihood of contact with the law. In addition to this, their head office is located in Kingston, Ontario which is within driving distance of 10 penitentiaries." ~ Wikipedia
                JEKYLL & CANADA (free .mp4 download @ Vimeo.com)

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                • #9
                  Re: What happens when a prisoner is released?

                  Removed now job done.
                  Last edited by The Road Warrior; 12-03-2011, 12:34 AM.
                  Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

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                  • #10
                    Re: What happens when a prisoner is released?

                    Originally posted by The Road Warrior View Post
                    we were notified, and would keep an eye on them,
                    Thanks, could you explain more what you mean by this? How would the cop come into contact with the offender upon their release?
                    "This kid is going to be big"

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                    • #11
                      Re: What happens when a prisoner is released?

                      Yes, where might you encounter them and how might it go?

                      On a different topic, I noticed that a lot of police raids, or when the cops turn up to someone's house to arrest them, it is usually either really late or really early like 4 or 5 AM. Is this correct and usually a standard protocol to catch them off guard so they are less likely to destroy evidence, do a runner, etc.?
                      "This kid is going to be big"

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                      • #12
                        Re: What happens when a prisoner is released?

                        With overcrowding in all prisons, most prisoners are released from prison on parole before their full sentences are served. Parole is also a (devious) way for police to maintain control and supervision over prisoners, which they lose if prisoners serve full terms, pay their debts to society, and go free.

                        Parole has any number of conditions attached. It could require no travel outside the state, weekly meetings with a parole officer, and no associations with anyone with a criminal record. Parole officers make reports to local or state police when parolees fail to meet the terms of their parole. Perhaps the majority of all prisoners in any prison are there as parole violators, serving out their full terms (with no credit for the time on parole). They rarely get their day in court for any new offense charged; a vicious cycle of imprisonment.

                        If you want your cop to have access to (and control of) your prisoner parole the guy before his term is up.

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                        • #13
                          Re: What happens when a prisoner is released?

                          Originally posted by Scriptonian View Post
                          With overcrowding in all prisons, most prisoners are released from prison on parole before their full sentences are served. Parole is also a (devious) way for police to maintain control and supervision over prisoners, which they lose if prisoners serve full terms, pay their debts to society, and go free.

                          Parole has any number of conditions attached. It could require no travel outside the state, weekly meetings with a parole officer, and no associations with anyone with a criminal record. Parole officers make reports to local or state police when parolees fail to meet the terms of their parole. Perhaps the majority of all prisoners in any prison are there as parole violators, serving out their full terms (with no credit for the time on parole). They rarely get their day in court for any new offense charged; a vicious cycle of imprisonment.

                          If you want your cop to have access to (and control of) your prisoner parole the guy before his term is up.
                          That's a pretty pessimistic and not wholly accurate perspective. Parole varies from state to state. Parole often has nothing to do with whether a person serves a full term. Where I am, for instance, parole is a set term of mandatory years that is based on the level of felony and has nothing at all to do with early release or full-termers. It's the same either way.

                          The purpose of parole is not to give the police a way to maintain control and supervision over prisoners. The purpose is to reintegrate prisoners back into society to reduce recidivism and avoid just dumping a person back into society without support. Whether it is effective in doing that is another debate... but it definitely isn't about giving police control over the prisoners. For one thing, police don't have time for that. But more obviously the police aren't keeping track anyway. It's parole officers, another department that is a branch of the department of corrections, NOT the police department (DOC is state, police is city/municipal -- you mention state as well... do you really think the state patrol is keeping tabs on parole violators??). Parole officers don't report parole violations to the police; they report violations to the parole board. In fact, unless there is an actual crime committed police have no jurisdiction over parole violations anyway. Police can assist with residence checks but that is a parole operation, not a police operation.

                          Yes, a person can go back to prison for parole violations but your statement " rarely get their day in court for any new offense charged" is incredibly misleading. If a prisoner does pick up a new offense, a new criminal charge, it has to be brought before a court and they have to be given to opportunity to be tried for that offense, even if they end up pleaing out in the end. If the new "offense" is not a new criminal charge then you are correct, they don't get their day in court because it isn't a new criminal charge. They have already been convicted and the issue is not a new criminal charge but a failure to comply with their terms of their punishment. No one is entitled to a criminal trial in court for a failure to comply with a term of punishment unless it also constitutes a new criminal charge.

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                          • #14
                            Re: What happens when a prisoner is released?

                            sbbn, I don't think we disagree on too much. While parole is a function of the corrections department (prison system), there is open and ongoing communication about parolees between parole officers (sometimes former cops) and state and local police. MadSam was trying (I think) to find a way for the arresting cop to stay connected or knowing of the prisoner's whereabouts and activities after release. If he has the prisoner serving his full sentence, paying his debt to society, there is no way, essentially, that the cop has any control. The prisoner walks free, and can walk anywhere he wants and associate with anyone he wishes. If, however, the prisoner is paroled before serving his full term, the conditions set for his parole keep him, basically, in custody. The cop maintains a handle on the prisoner. The cop knows that the guy is on parole - and that for any arrest at all, will likely be violated and returned to prison. All it takes in most cases is that arrest.

                            The 'reintegration into society' purpose for parole holds little weight today; the majority of paroles address overcrowding in the prisons. Inmate parole trumps costly new construction.

                            The same holds true for those charged as probation violators. The probation officer reports a violation, and the cop arrests and delivers him to court for a violation hearing for which there is no jury trial.

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