It’s heartbreaking to watch a loved one go to jail or to prison, even for a short sentence. You naturally want to do anything in your power to offer encouragement and support—but what can you do that’s truly meaningful? Here are a few recommendations, based on our experience running a Riverside bail bonds service.
Establish contact with a bail bond company.
If your loved one has bail set, you can help them reach out to a Riverside bail bond company, which can get them out of jail to await their trial date. (This is, of course, for those who’ve not yet been sentenced.) Note: You will need to pay a bail premium to the bonding service company you choose—usually around 10 percent of the total bail amount.
Write some letters.
If your loved one is in jail and you don’t have the option of connecting them with a bail bond company, the next thing you can do is write them letters. Your loved one will be lonely, and anxious for news from home—so whatever correspondence you can write will offer real encouragement, and also help pass the time.
Send money to your loved one’s commissary account.
Your loved one will depend on commissary money to buy basic self-care items, from deodorant to toothpaste—to say nothing of potential “treats,” including snacks. Sending some commissary money is always a helpful way to show that you care.
Accept phone calls.
As your loved one is able, he or she will surely want to reach you by phone. Always take the calls if at all possible! Nothing is more discouraging than reaching out to someone from the “outside” and being let down.
The most meaningful way to show support is to actually show up in person for a visit. Again, make sure you review policies carefully—including rules about when you may visit, how many people can visit at a time, what you are and are not allowed to bring and wear, etc.
Even if your loved one did something bad, holding a grudge just makes things harder for everyone. Remember, incarceration is punishment enough; you shouldn’t heap on further punishments of your own.
Learn More from a Riverside Bail Bond Company
To learn more about things you can do to help a loved one—especially a loved one who is in jail and struggling to make bail—reach out to a 24-hour bail bonds company now! Remedy Bail Bonds is here to assist; our mission is to enable you to help your loved one. Contact us today to begin the process.
