Marcus Richards
Not everyone who ends up in prison is a bad person. This is especially hard to believe when you see a loved one behind bars. Consequently, anyone would want to ease the burden of a relative inmate. Although there is not much that you can do to bring them out, as a family member you can check up on them and make it easier for them to go through these difficult times.
The first and the foremost thing to keep in mind is that they will need your time. Therefore, if the inmate happens to be in your state or close by, you should check out the visiting hours for the jail and meet them accordingly. However, this can be a bit difficult to do if they have committed a crime in another state or country. You can look up inmates in prison to be sure where they are serving time before planning the visit.
Watch Out For Their Families
In case you can’t pay them a visit, it would be considerable to watch out for their kids and daily if you can. The younger kids find it difficult to cope up with a parent being imprisoned as they would question what they did wrong and how they will face the world after it. In some cases, criminal activities may also lead to separation or divorce between parents making it even more tricky for kids to settle with the situation.
If you are close to the family, you can offer their kids counseling and make sure they don’t face difficulties at school or elsewhere. Moreover, if there is a single mother left behind, you should openly discuss with them what’s going on.
Find Other Ways To Stay In Touch
As we mentioned before, it is not possible to visit an inmate if they happen to be in another state. For example, if you are in North Carolina and they have been imprisoned in Texas, a better way to stay in touch is to call them, write them a letter, or take out a day off to visit them. In any case, placing a phone call is one of the best options.
On top of that, it is crucial to not bring up negative topics while talking to them. Remember that they are already going through tough times and it would not be nice to remind them of everything that is wrong while they are gone, for example, their grieving kids or financial issues back at home. If you wish to disclose something personal, a letter is the way to go. You can take your time to write everything you want to mention which might not be possible in a 10-30 minute phone call that most jails allow.
What To Do In Case You Can Pay Them a Visit?
Well, the most important thing to do at this point is to put up a brave face and be optimistic during the visit. It is obvious that they will have a lot to worry about at this point and the least you can do is give them hope so a meeting with you cheers you up. They might be criminals but you have to put up a smile when you see them behind bars for moral support.
