Janie,

I don't know of any way to speed the process up. When the DOC reception center has an empty bed, he will be shipped.

I have seen guys in the county for up to three months before they were shipped out to custody of the DOC. I was there for 55 days.

I would have your son double check with a law clerk in the law library when he gets to his parent prison about the good time credits while in the county awaiting transport. Most states do give good time credits for awaiting inmates, but he will have to file for it.

Oklahoma used to give 22 days per month for every month an inmate was in the county jail after sentencing but before being shipped to the DOC reception center. I know that for a fact, as I received it, but that was a few years ago; I think other states might have provisions for it.

Of course, if he is serving an 85% crime, then no, he will not receive any good time credit until he has served at least 85% of his sentence. In most states, the good time credits comes off the back of an 85% sentence instead of off the front of it.

rewdiazepam

They will not be told when they are going. First, like Rew said, they don't know til a bed comes up. Second, for " security reasons" they can't tell. I went to the county jail one day to visit, and the nice receptionist there called as I walked in the hallway there. She was telling me he had left. It was unexpected. We too thought he had a few months to wait. But there was room on the bus, it was taking someone else that day, and there was room at the prison. So I was in shock that he was gone already. He did hate the county jail, said it was boring. But it was 10 miles from our house and I got to see him many times a week. Then he was off to reception for 3 months, it was 5 hours away and since we aren't married, I couldn't go see him. It was really awful just in the blink of an eye, it had started.

If he is in a county jail close to you, be glad if he stays awhile.

We are in Arkansas. My husband is currently in the county jail and he is receiving good time credit even while in county. I'm a 10 min. drive to see him each week. From what I've been told, he has to wait a full 30 days and then he'll be put on the list for transfer. After that, we won't know when or where he will go. Since all of our prison facilities are full and overflowing in some cases, he could wait 3-6 months before transfer.

As you have already been told, take stock in the fact that you are closer to him and get to visit him on a regular basis. What I would do is research the Corrections procedure for your state on good time credits while in county. You can also reach out to his attorney-they should know if he will receive good time credits even while in the county jail.

Hang in there.

Janie,
As I have said, I am in Arkansas like you. If your son is also under the Arkansas Dept. of Corrections, according to the friends and family guide, there is GOOD NEWS!! I have copied the following straight out of the friends and family guide for the Arkansas Dept. of Corrections:

Good time classification places inmates in Class I, II, III, or IV status. Class I earns 30 days additional good time credit per month (for example, after 30 days in Class I status, the inmate has 60 days credit); Class II earns 20 days additional credit per month; Class III earns 10 days additional credit per month; and Class IV does not earn any good time. An inmate being held in a city or county jail awaiting transfer to the Department of Correction can be awarded good time at a Class II level.

So, what this means Is that he is receiving good time credit even in county jail. Take heart-visit him regularly, and I would advise that you either download the pdf of the friends and family guide or get one from the Public Defender's office-they have copies. We were given one by the PD up here in Jonesboro. Here's the link to the entire guide:

http://adc.arkansas.gov/resources/Documents/handbook.pdf

Thank you to everyone who commented with advise. i need all the advice i can get with this situation. This is our first and hopefully last rodeo

As long as your son has the continued support of his family while he is serving his time, along with the willingness to live his life after he's released in a different way than what he's known, then this should be his last rodeo. We are all on this journey with our loved ones in prison, and you are doing the right thing by reaching out to this group for advice, support, and encouragement.

Please hang in there, stay strong for your son, and lean on us.....