- Find someone in jail Step by step: how to find out if someone was arrested, which jail or prison is holding them, and what to do if they do not show up yet.
- Bail and bond What bail is, the different types of bond, how bail bond agents work, what you get back, and how to get someone released from jail.
- Send money How commissary and trust accounts work, the usual ways to deposit money, typical fees, and mistakes that cause deposits to be rejected.
- Visiting How to get on a visiting list, schedule in-person or video visits, what to bring and wear, and rules that commonly get visits cancelled.
- Phone calls How inmate phone calls work, how to set up a prepaid account, why you cannot call in, and what never to say on a recorded line.
- What charges mean Felony, misdemeanor, infraction, degrees and classes, statute numbers, and why booking charges often change later.
- After an arrest The steps from booking to first court appearance, bail, lawyers, and how a criminal case moves forward, in plain English.
- Remove your record Removal from searchinmates.org is free and always will be. How to request it, what happens next, and how to deal with the original public records.
- VINE notifications What VINE and VINELink are, how to look up someone's custody status, and how to get a call, text or email when an inmate is released or transferred.
- Commissary What jail and prison commissary is, how a commissary or trust account works, how to deposit money, and the limits and fees to expect.
- Send mail How to address a letter to an inmate, what you can and cannot send, digital mail, photos, books and legal mail, with real examples from TDCJ and the BOP.
- Video visits How inmate video visitation works: setting up an account with the facility's vendor (such as GTL/ViaPath or Securus), scheduling, costs and rules.