Recently at Alderson federal prison

[ocdolphin]

HELLO All... I was just recently at Alderson FPC for six months. If you have any questions, let me know and I may be able to help you out with an answer.

[matrock130]

Originally Posted by ocdolphin

HELLO All... I was just recently at Alderson FPC for six months. If you have any questions, let me know and I may be able to help you out with an answer.

Congrats on getting home. Thank your for offering to answer questions for others. God Bless.

[Jsatt62707]

Originally Posted by ocdolphin

HELLO All... I was just recently at Alderson FPC for six months. If you have any questions, let me know and I may be able to help you out with an answer.

Can you tell me what daily life, living situations are like. I have medical issues will they treat me? Just found out I need to have surgery, but there is no time left to get it done. Sentenced to 46 months.

Thanks for your help.

[fbopnomore]

If you can schedule your surgery, your lawyer can file a motion with your sentencing judge to delay your incarceration until afterwards. The judge will decide.

Leaving any medical care up to the bop is risky, it may or may not ever happen. Post operation pain issues are also a problem, their drug of choice is over the counter Tylenol.

[Jsatt62707]

Originally Posted by fbopnomore

If you can schedule your surgery, your lawyer can file a motion with your sentencing judge to delay your incarceration until afterwards. The judge will decide.

Leaving any medical care up to the bop is risky, it may or may not ever happen. Post operation pain issues are also a problem, their drug of choice is over the counter Tylenol.

Thank you. What is daily life like?

[fbopnomore]

I was never at Alderson, so I hope you get an answer from someone who was.

[Krystof0319]

My love is going to be send to Alderson at any day( judge recommend it), and I hope so..she will be transported from new Hampshire..last week she got 37months,but she has serve 8already being in jail in NH..I'll appreciate a lot if you can tell me how the life looks like being there,...kris

[KimberlyC88]

What is it like there? Do you sleep in the cubes the whole time you're there? Thank you

[ocdolphin]

Yes, you sleep in cubes the whole time you are there. A bottom bunk is the best but I would suggest getting ear plugs. I never slept with them before going to Alderson. They became my best friend. I just had to remember to take one out in the middle of the night so I would hear my alarm on my watch in the morning.

[matrock130]

Originally Posted by ocdolphin

Yes, you sleep in cubes the whole time you are there. A bottom bunk is the best but I would suggest getting ear plugs. I never slept with them before going to Alderson. They became my best friend. I just had to remember to take one out in the middle of the night so I would hear my alarm on my watch in the morning.

You sleep in the bus stop before you get a cube. And if you are moved to a different unit you sleep in the bus stop there before you get a cube. But other than that you are in a cube the rest of the time.

[KimberlyC88]

Is there places to hook up my cpap machine? Thank you

[Crystal1178]

How long does it take to get you in the computer and and to get your uniforms when you self surrender

[fbopnomore]

Anywhere from a day or two, up to maybe a week for normal processing. The sooner you meet with your counselor, the sooner that phones, email and visitation will be possible.

Watch the daily call out sheet. You will receive your schedule for laundry (clothing issue) and the 2 day A&O program there.

[Boonite]

Leaving in July 2018. Any info from food, clothing, essentials, showers, shoes, I am looking from all info you can give me

[Boonite]

Originally Posted by ocdolphin

HELLO All... I was just recently at Alderson FPC for six months. If you have any questions, let me know and I may be able to help you out with an answer.

I am scheduled to go in July. I have never been in trouble before. Any info would be fantastic. Like what happens the day you enter, commissary, how much you can have in account, how much you can spend daily, weekly or monthly. Examples of meals, I am told I need to buy tennis shoes first thing, tell me about cubes(I think they are called), how far are bathrooms from cubes, I think there is heat but no a/c. How many women in each section, is there a stove, microwave, what about washing your own clothes. I want to buy my own underwear, bras, and socks but don’t want them mixed up with others clothes. If there is washer and dryers how do you pay for them,do they use quarters? Sorry just scared and have a million questions

[fbopnomore]

Someone who has been at Alderson will have to answer your specific questions. Here are a few general answers:

No "care packages" and I don't know if Skype is available at Alderson. Only books are allowed to be sent to inmates without an issued "package authorization" signed by your counselor. In camps, paperback books can be mailed from home, but hardback books must arrive in the US Mail (no UPS or fedex) from a bookstore or from the publisher.

The bop recently tried to stop all books being sent to inmates except from one overpriced, supplier, but there was so much blowback that they rescinded the policy, at least for now.

Once your name and inmate ID # appear on the bop inmate locator
https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/

you can send yourself money.
https://www.bop.gov/inmates/communications.jsp#money

Western Union is posted immediately, and US Postal Money orders sent to the Des Moines lockbox are posted when received there. All other MOs are held for 15 days.

It will take awhile for you to be able to phone or email. Your counselor has to approve the phone numbers you will be able to call (cell phones are OK, and you can have more than one number for each person). You will then have to wait for your 9 digit phone pin to arrive at mail call, and something new since I was released from bop prison might have to be resolved too, voice recognition.

Once that has all happened, you can use the phone to check your commissary balance and then transfer money to the phone side (ITS) to purchase prepaid phone minutes. Local calls cost 6 cents/min, long distance 21 cents/min. Call forwarding apps like google voice are forbidden, but it is allowed to call a cell phone that has been issued a local number to Alderson.

The commissary limit is about $325.00 a month, $50.00 more in Nov. & Dec. You will have one shopping day per week, and it will be closed for inventory for 7 days, twice a year. Stamps and over the counter meds don't count against the monthly spending limit. Some prisons allow new arrivals to shop right away rather than having to wait for their assigned day (which changes each quarter) by writing "first time shopper" on your commissary shopping list. Currency of any kind is contraband, so if things like photocopies, laundry, or visitation photo tickets are available, they must be purchased at the commissary.

You will receive 300 phone minutes/month with an extra 100 minutes in Nov & Dec. They refresh to the next period (commissary spending limit too) on the same day of each month. The 5th number in your bop ID (xxxxX-xxx) times 3, plus one, so if your number is 6, you will receive new limits on the 19th of each month. There is no carryover of unused limits.

Email costs 5 cents/min whenever you is logged into the corrlinks terminal to either write, or read messages. You will need to send each person an invitation email which must be replied to in order to be able to receive any future emails and/or send messages to that person. Be sure to have them check their spam and trash mailboxes so they don't miss the invitation.

Every prison I was in (except the nastiest one, FCI Loretto, PA). had microwaves available for inmate use.

Visitors have to be approved. If they are listed as "immediate family" in your presentence investigation report, they may be approved without having to file an application. Ask your counselor. You will have to notify your visitors when they are allowed to visit.

[Boonite]

Originally Posted by ocdolphin

HELLO All... I was just recently at Alderson FPC for six months. If you have any questions, let me know and I may be able to help you out with an answer.

Can you send me person message. I am going and I have a million questions, thank you.

[Sarianna]

Originally Posted by Boonite

Can you send me person message. I am going and I have a million questions, thank you.

While it is definitely fine to exchange private messages....it would be a great help for current and future members in your situation to see the questions and answers out on these public threads, too

[Boonite]

Originally Posted by ocdolphin

HELLO All... I was just recently at Alderson FPC for six months. If you have any questions, let me know and I may be able to help you out with an answer.

What year did you get out.