Hello everyone! I am new to prison talk. I have a loved one currently in Bay Minette, Al jail. He had court the other day and was sentenced to a prison SAP program. I am so worried and confussed. Some people have told me that means he will go to Ventress. Do any of you know if that is what being sentenced to a prison sap program means. If so how long will it be before he is taken there? Once he gets there how long will he have to stay? What is it like there? A concerned sister just worried and trying to find some answers. THANKS:confused:

Hello and welcome to PTO :)

Ventress and St.Clair are the only 2 facilties to have the sap program which is to last 18 months. My son was order to do that and is at St.Clair
but he went into another program due to the fact the his EOS was over with in March 2007 and he got to St.Clair on Jan 3 and started his relase
program week later. To be honest with you I really don't know what to tell you to expect but I have heard that it is a tough program. My son has changed so much since being there that if he was not there I feel like with all my heart something bad was really going to happen and I feel like he would have really hurt me physically most of all. You will get plenty of help
being part of prison talk and any questions that you need help with just
ask. Welcome and God Bless you and yours......Mother1952.
P.S. My son has said several times that God send him there to get his life
straighten out for he had been on some type of drugs for about 12 years.
He now his 25.....

Actually almost all the men's facilities have SAP tho there are some differences in the various programs at various facilities. St. Clair is the only one with the TC (Therapeutic Community) substance abuse program.

SAP is available at Ventress, Limestone, Easterling, and as far as I know most of the others. The different programs range from several weeks to several months.

How long until he goes is not a question that can be answered as there are still hundreds and maybe thousands of state inmates being housed in county jails against a Federal court order and the state prison system is severely overcrowded.

Thanks for the info. I guess it sounds like its a wait and see kind of thing. Who knows where he will be sent or the amount of time he will wait to get there or how long he will be there. That is the most frustrating part for him and us not knowing. I am really getting alot of info from prison talk it is great. THANKS

What is SAP? Does anyone know what I can send my brother in the incentive Package? Can they be sent shoes?

Welcome to PTO!

My Boyfriend was just sent to Ventress and they cannot be sent shoes, they have to buy them there. You can send him money though if you are on the approved list and he can buy them there. SAP is the Substance Abuse Program. He will send you a list when he gets there of what he can have sent, they can have one this month... but it is not every month. Good luck!

Thanks for the info. I guess it sounds like its a wait and see kind of thing. Who knows where he will be sent or the amount of time he will wait to get there or how long he will be there. That is the most frustrating part for him and us not knowing. I am really getting alot of info from prison talk it is great. THANKS


The waiting and not knowing is indeed the hardest part - for him and for y'all. Just know once he gets where he's going, things'll level off and get better. Keep us posted as to where he goes!