Hi Sin, welcome to our little corner of the world...
Let's see if I can answer some of your questions.
The mailroom at HDSP is notoriously slow; be patient. To address your letters:
Name & back number
HDSP
PO Box 650
Indian Springs, Nv 89070-0650
Unit and cell # if you know it.
If not, that's ok- the mailroom checks daily because they're always moving the guys around. Also, in the lower right corner of the envelope, put the date you mail out your letter. It keeps the mailroom staff on their toes.
Visiting Approval: It can take up to 60 days for approval. They won't inform you, your guy will find out and let you know.
Programs: his caseworker can steer him on what's available. You can find out on this site too, if anyone has someone going that route. My guy took various classes at HDSP and then requested a transfer to SDCC for the Oasis program. Took about a year for the transfer to come thru, so again, be patient. If he can get a job there, that's really good, but ANY classes or programs will look great and he will learn a LOT about why he's there.
Visiting room: It's been a while since I was there, but the main thing is to not wear ANY shade of blue. Jeans are fine, but no blue. No strapless anything, no deep vee necklines, etc, etc. Moderate jewelry. Take a sweater or light jacket, cuz it can be nippy in there. Somewhere floating around either here or on the DOC site is the dress code. Basically, casual work attire is fine.
Follow all the rules! Some of the officers are ok, some are big pricks and will nail ya for the slightest infractions. Don't trust them from one visit to the next, since inconsistency reigns.
One thing that I found the few times I was there was that most of the other visitors are very nice and helpful. They will tell you what you need to do as far as checkiing in, how to get a locker to stow your stuff, that sort of thing. Oh, lockers: the only thing you can take into the visiting room is a clear plastic cosmetic bag with quarters for the vending machines and the locker key. The staff up front when you check in will take your driver's license until you leave.
You may hug and briefly kiss at the start and end of your visit, but then you sit across the table from each other and can hold hands. And that's ALL you do. Trust me on this.
As far as I know, you get no extra privileges being married. Nevada has no conjugal visits nor do they plan on having any.
Thanx forthe help. I called the mailroom and they said they are caught up and they dont understand it. but its been 2 months and at least 6 letters he has not recieved. including the visitation form. Now this is the part that really sucks I sent even a card last week and a letter the week before and he has not recieved those either... So now the visitation form can never get cleared because he cant get my mail and nobody there knows what I should do .. I have the address right and my letters never get returned so where the hell are they and how do I get him a letter ????? What do I do about this does anyone know cuz they said they are not behind and have no answers for me. Can they sign for it? Can I send it that way?? I need a visit but I cant even get a form to them I sent one off almost 2 and a half months ago .. now I will have to start over with that too. this sucks....
Sin, it's just the way it goes over there. Have him send you another form. The one thing this whole situation will do is teach you patience beyond what we all thought the human being is capable of.
When you talked to the mailroom staff, did you speak to the supervisor? If so, document the date and what you were told. Document EVERYTHING you do when dealing with ANYONE in the DOC.
If you only spoke with random staff, call and talk to the super. If you keep getting the run-around, call the post-master general and file a complaint. About 3-4 years ago, HDSP was under investigation for their shoddy practices in the mailroom. It might be a prison, but they're still dealing with the U.S. MAIL!
It's a long shot, but you might also contact Family Services and see if they can speed you a form. They pretty much suck there and the head gal is totally passive/agressive, so stay calm and courteous. Maybe they can help ya out.
Thank you for all your help I have also been waiting on a phone call from him he was suppose to call on sun. but no call no mail either whats going on??? he used to send me mail everyday and now I dont know if hes getting mine?? Can I call and ask them if he has recieved any of it since las week??/
The mailroom might not know if your guy in particular is receiving mail. I know a few years ago that place handled 28,000 pieces of mail a week! Sometimes my guy wouldn't get mail for a week then get all my letters at once. Same on my end.
As for calling cards/your end of the phone: I'm not sure if you need to do anything. Jim calls me collect.
It use to take my husband two months to get some of my letters as welll. I started putting the date in the front of the envelope in big red marker. Now he gets my letters in less than 2 days. When my husband was transferred I got a letter from when he was in the fishtank and he was transferred a year later
As for the calling cards you don't need to do anything it's all on his end.
thank you all for your replies and help... now its been over 3months and no reply on visitation clearance... what the heck is going on i need to see him.
Hi Sin City,
My husband is at HDSP. I have found that ICSolutions was the way to go for phone calls. I live in Las Vegas. As far as the mail goes, it takes between four days to a week usually for my husband to get mail in the fishtank. I used Jpay e-mail to send him e-mails when I really need him to get information. He usually gets it that day. They do not receive mail on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. Their mail is not accepted to be sent out on those days either. He always gets the e-mails though. I don't know about the guys that are there permanently, but the guys in the fish tank are allowed to make phone calls once a week....usually about a 15 minute phone call. They have to sign up for the phone call from what I was told. If they are on lockdown then they don't receive mail or phone privileges. Even when they receive the visitation application, I was told that it would take about two months or more for them to do a background check and approve it. I hope some of this information that I got from my husband helps you. Just keep the faith.
Suzy
The Following User Says Thank You to suzyqvegas For This Useful Post:
Need to know lots and lots!! What is address to write to High desert?
thanks for helping
Thanx forthe help. I called the mailroom and they said they are caught up and they dont understand it. but its been 2 months and at least 6 letters he has not recieved. including the visitation form. Now this is the part that really sucks I sent even a card last week and a letter the week before and he has not recieved those either... So now the visitation form can never get cleared because he cant get my mail and nobody there knows what I should do .. I have the address right and my letters never get returned so where the hell are they and how do I get him a letter ????? What do I do about this does anyone know cuz they said they are not behind and have no answers for me. Can they sign for it? Can I send it that way?? I need a visit but I cant even get a form to them I sent one off almost 2 and a half months ago .. now I will have to start over with that too. this sucks....
fAiTh WoRkS tHrOuGh LoVe
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