Everybody wants their family to be safe and sound. So it can be extremely distressing to learn that one of your family members has been arrested. However, you don’t have to be paralyzed by fear and frustration after the arrest. Take these positive steps to ensure that your loved one receives the best possible outcome from the situation.
Inform the Jail About Medications for Your Loved One
The last thing that someone who’s under the stress of an arrest needs is to miss medication that’s crucial to their health. If your family member has medications they need to take, immediately contact the staff at the institution where they are being held. Not everyone who has recently been arrested is going to prioritize their health, but you should advocate for them.
Find out what the protocol is on being sure that your loved one is properly medicated. Things may vary a lot from county to county and state to state. For the most part, the county will be responsible for keeping your loved one safe while they’re in jail, and the corrections facility should be receptive to crucial information on your loved one’s health.
Keep in mind that most correction facilities do not allow outside drugs. If you just show up with the medications your family member takes, you will probably be turned away. However, make sure to inform the correction facility verbally and in writing about the medications. Make a note of all correspondence, being as detailed as possible.
Help Your Family Member Post Bail
After making sure your family member is physically okay, the next matter of concern is likely to be getting them out of jail. Posting bail isn’t as daunting a process as it may seem. Enlist the help of a bail bond company to get your loved one out of jail in a timely manner. However, keep in mind that you need to be relatively certain that your loved one will come back for their court dates.
Bail bond companies help make the process simple and as painless as possible for those affected by the arrest. Bail bonds are a way for the court to be assured that the arrested individual will show up for all subsequent court dates. In the state of Nevada, bail bonds will cost you 15 percent of the amount that’s set for bail by the court.
Contact Your Family Member’s Attorney
If your family member already has an attorney, contact them as quickly as you can after the arrest. If your loved one doesn’t have a lawyer or cannot afford their services at the time, the arrested individual may receive a court-appointed attorney. Either way, get in touch with the lawyer and provide them with any relevant information that may help your loved one.
Check Out Possible Jail Diversion Programs
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, people who have a mental health crisis are more likely to encounter police than they are to receive medical assistance for their crisis. So it may come as no surprise that the organization also reports that nearly a third of incarcerated women leave with a mental illness.
If your loved one in jail has a mental illness, see if they qualify for a jail diversion program. If one is available in your area, it may help your loved one avoid harsh jail time. If you don’t know how to get in touch with a mental health court, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers an online locator for finding mental health treatment courts.
Visit Your Family Member in Jail
Try to visit your loved one in jail as soon as you can. The rules for visitation will vary, but the corrections facility will likely allow you to see your family member. Prepare for the visit by writing down any information you need to gather to best help them.
You may also want to jot down anything you want to say to your loved one during the visit. If you get overly emotional during the visit, it may help to have things on paper so that you don’t get sidetracked and forget to mention important information.
As you visit your loved one in jail, they may be embarrassed, and they are sure to be distraught. You may offer words of reassurance and advice. You may also choose to ask open-ended questions to allow the person the chance to vent. This can also help them to open up if they are struggling to find the words to explain their complex fears while they’re in custody.
Encourage Your Family Member to Seek Treatment, If Necessary
Find out what happens when your loved one is released from jail. If alcohol and drugs played a role in the misbehavior of your family member, suggest that they enter a rehabilitation program immediately after being released from prison. That’s one of the surest ways you can prevent an addict from making the same mistakes again.
Finally, if you’re in the Las Vegas area, contact All Star Bail Bonds immediately after your family member’s arrest. We make it our mission and priority to get your loved one out of custody as soon as possible. Our caring, dependable, and professional staff are here to help guide you through this process and make it possible for you to be with your family member again soon.