Does anyone know what units Vo-Tech are held? Also, what is the length of time to complete.. maximum and minimum, depending on the class. How long does it take to finally get into vo tech?
thanks

My husband is at Tucker Unit and he is taking the welding Vo-tech class. It's based on hours--I think he has to complete around 1400 hours to get his certification so I'm thinking it will take about a year to do it.

Peaches, my assumption was that they're all a year. Did you call Tucker or Consituent Services to get more info?

I did find out that all vo-tech classes are based on hours, 1400 hours no matter which class they take. So, based on 8 hours a day and provided class is in session each day, that's 9 months. He has already started his pre-release and has already put in a request to transfer to another unit that offers vo-tech. All we can do is sit tight and wait and let this time go by, one day at a time. Pretty much we're looking at a year or so before he gets to be released. The good news however is that his parole plan did get approved so as soon as this stipulations are completed, he's free to come home. No more board hearings, no nothing, just take the classes and he's done. Patience, patience, patience, right?

Peaches, my assumption was that they're all a year. Did you call Tucker or Consituent Services to get more info?

I'm happy for you! Just hang in there, the time will go by fast I hope. Where is your husband now?

Thank you. Although it's not the best of news, I suppose it's better than him having to serve his complete sentence, right? He's at North Central at the moment and has requested a transfer to Varner. No clue how long it will take to get approved for transfer. Any ideas?
I hope this time goes fast but regardless, still have to be patient :)

Kmac, where is your man at?

I wish I knew. Maybe it won't be too long since this is the last leg of his sentence. Are you close to Varner? My husband was there for a few months until he was transferred to Tucker. Alot of people complain about Tucker but I think it's better than Varner.

Varner is down south and i'm in Northwest Arkansas. Calico is a little over an hour away from where i'm at but it really doesn't matter because at this point i'm not able to go visit him.
Yes, this is the last leg of his sentence and once he's done, he's done! It's still going to be a long haul for both of us but as the saying goes, that which doesn't kills us makes us stronger, right?

How true. We should all be Wonder Women by now!! My hubby's parole date isn't until June of 2007 and sometimes I wonder if I'm going to make it. It's just tough sometimes.

I know what you mean Kmac. It seems like 2006 is so far away so 2007 would seem even further away to me but with the help of PTO and all my local friends, i'm managing.

I hear ya. This website has really helped me, too.

Are you in TN?

Yes, I live in Centerville, TN which is about 60 miles west of Nashville.

And your husband is in Arkansas? How far away are you from where he's at? Do you get to visit him often? I imagine the long distance, since it's out of state, is awful.

Varner is near Grady. Varner and Cummins are on the same road.
Peaches, his parole was approved, so he can get out as soon as he takes the classes but PAROLE PLANs are only good for 90 days. He'll need to submit a new parole plan 90 days before his release date. Sorry!

Julie, thanks for that information. I hadn't even thought about another parole plan. I'm sure he probably knows this already but I will be sure to also tell him. Does that mean that he will or will not have another hearing since his parole plan was approved?

No, he wont' have to go to another meeting, but he'll have to submit paperwork, where he intends to live, etc. The parole board will investigate and then approve or deny it. Example: If he's going to be under max supervision he'll wear an ankle monitor, so the place where he's moving has to have a phone line, can't have caller id or call waiting, etc. They'll check that the person he's paroling to wants him there, check for running water, etc. the basics.

So basically, he'll have to submit the same parole plan as before, right? The probation officer that received his parole plan called me last week, asked me a couple of questions and then said 'ok, i'm going to approve this' and that was it. Why can't everything be so easy?
Part of the stipulations did state that he will be unde 90 day max supervision. We can't have caller Id or call waiting on the phone if he's on max supervision? Do you know what the logic behind this is?

the ankle monitor somehow calls from your phone line every so often, and that's how they know he's at home. They say caller id and call waiting interfere with the signal (but i dont see how). Same thing happened to us, they called me to approve the parole plan even though he was stipulated, and now he has to wait and then submit it again. When they called to approve the plan, they asked me a few questions, including "do you have call waiting or caller id." If he won't have an ankle monitor don't worry about it, if he will, disconnect those features when he resubmits the parole plan.

Thanks Julie. I'm learning all sorts of new and insightful information from this forum. I don't know what I would do without all of you.
I know i've asked before (and forgive me for asking again), when does your husband get to come home? How do you get that thing on the bottom of your message with the months and days on here?

my hubby will most likely be done w/his class on 09/21/05 and home by 09/23/05.

He told me Votech classes are at both Varner and Tucker. He writes "I believe it's 1440 hours per course, which comes at 35 hours a week." If he doesn't go a day, he doesn't get credit for the hours, so it's up to him how fast he completes it.

The month/date thing is called a ticker, and i got mine at daisypath.com :-)

Your hubby is almost done then :D Doesn't seem like 9/23 is that far off, does it?

I did learn that Votech classes are 1400 hours, like you said, and also if the teacher doesn't show up (which from what I understand happens now and then) they don't get credit for that day.

My fiancee is currently in pre-release and anger management so he's getting that hurdle out of the way. Once that is done, then he will be transfered to whichever unit they allow him to go to in order to complete Votech.

Thanks for the 'ticker' info.

Is he at varner now?
Well, 9/23/05 does seem far off when he was supposed to be home in June 2004 (before they stipulated him!)

No, he is still at calico. Don't know when exactly he'll go to Varner or Tucker (or wherever he gets shipped to for Votech) and that may be another 6 months, who knows. Nothing like waiting, right?
Oh yes, I know ALL about the board and their stipulations!!!! :angry:
I know 9/23/05 does seem far off but it's better than a year from now, right? (trying to be positive, help me out, lol)

awww peaches! I know EXACTLY how you feel! - expecting your man home, getting stipulated for year, and waiting 5 months to get him into the class! That's what happened to us! It'll be ok! We'll make it!! :grouphug:

Thanks Julie! This is why I love PTO so much, because there are so many people here that DO know exactly how it feels when the same thing happens to them.
I hope we'll make it!!! :grouphug:

Peaches, I wish you the best of luck with getting him in there ASAP and getting all of these stipulations out of the way! And Julie, I know you've definitely been through it - good to hear his parole date is now less than 6 months away!!

Thanks Hunt's-girl! I appreciate all the support from all of you. :)

Just wanted to update you on the latest with my fiancee. He got transferred to Varner unit yesterday and will be starting his vo-tech classes in two weeks:yay: So now we can have some light at the end of the tunnel, finally! He tells me that he will be released in February '06 but i'm not holding my breath. We'll see how long this actually takes. He was going through the 'testing process' today and will be again tomorrow and Friday. I'm just happy he's finally going to get started with this. Just wanted to share:D

GOOD!!! :yay: He's one step closer to home!

My fiancee started vo-tech yesterday!!! :yay: Final stipulation and he's on his way home. Now we've got some sort of "end date" to all this madness :D

:) Yay!! That's such wonderful news!! :)

That is great news. :)