Categories

Having a home and relationships is what keeps many people grounded, but what happens when their home is lost and their relationships are upended as a result of incarceration? That shift can take a serious toll on incarcerated individuals, as their social interactions are limited. Maintaining a relationship with an inmate can be challenging, both for the person who is incarcerated and their family and friends, but maintaining frequent communication can help everyone involved.

People require social interactions to grow and thrive mentally and emotionally, and we can all benefit when we learn about different perspectives from others through conversation. But how do you maintain a relationship and conversations with the difficult physical and mental barriers of incarceration? There is no easy answer to this, as it will require creativity and putting in the effort.

Creativity Knows No Bounds

There are a variety of ways to maintain a relationship with an inmate, some requiring less effort than others, but they are all capable of helping you connect. With a little creativity, not only will you keep each other engaged socially, you can help each other grow as people. Creative examples for socializing with incarcerated individuals, which can be done virtually or in-person, include:

• Engage their interests. Do not talk about the things you know they dislike. Instead, bring light into their life — it will help sustain them. Do they love sports? Discuss their favorite college or professional team, especially if they are on a winning streak or making good headlines!

• Playing games. Come up with simple games to play. Even ones that do not require any physical items, like games rooted in trivia, can be fun.

• Reading books. Identify a book you both want to read, get two copies (one for each of you, if allowed) and then start your own two-person book club. If you want to study a topic together, a self-help book may be a great option. If the incarcerated individual is not allowed to have books, you could choose to read aloud to them. Some correctional facilities allow books to be made available through the HomeWAV system that can be read together.

• Avoid talking about incarceration. Want to keep the mood light? Focus on fun topics, like favorite vacation spots, best restaurants, theme parks, movies, books, etc.

• Religion. It’s not for everyone, but if your incarcerated loved one is a person of faith, they likely find comfort in discussing their faith background, books from the Bible, and religion.

Maintaining Healthy Relationships After Incarceration

The progress you make in your relationship while your loved one is incarcerated will carry over after their release. Not only will they be better adjusted, but you will also have a stronger bond that can help fuel the two of you emotionally.

Part of having a healthier relationship after incarceration is that incarceration provides opportunities for both parties to improve communication skills, which in turn can help strengthen your commitment to one another and perhaps even provide conflict-resolution skills. The development of these newfound skills does more than help you maintain a healthy relationship after incarceration, it can help ease the reentry process and reduce the chance of recidivism. 

Additionally, by communicating more with those outside of jail, those who are incarcerated are likely to feel more at ease settling back into society once they are released because they feel more connected to their loved ones and the community. They are more aware of things that have happened while they were gone and how those in their lives are doing, leading to feelings of connection.

Creating Interpersonal Connections through HomeWAV

HomeWAV provides cost-effective and convenient video visitation options to friends, family, and their incarcerated loved ones. With a free mobile app and easy-to-use technology, we make video calls simple. By bridging the technology gap, we make maintaining a relationship with an inmate easier. Create an account or check out our FAQ page for more information.

While nothing can take the place of in-person visitation, advancements in technology can help bridge the gap between you and your incarcerated loved one by allowing video calls with someone in jail. Through companies like HomeWAV, inmates are able to make video calls with friends and family from jail easily and safely, allowing for better connections and communication. If you have been looking for an alternative to FaceTime to connect with someone in jail more efficiently, HomeWAV provides video and voice calling resources.

If your loved one is currently an inmate at a correctional facility that offers the HomeWAV system, video calling is as easy as five steps:

There are a variety of ways to maintain a relationship with an inmate, some requiring less effort than others, but they are all capable of helping you connect. With a little creativity, not only will you keep each other engaged socially, you can help each other grow as people. Creative examples for socializing with incarcerated individuals, which can be done virtually or in-person, include:

1. Create an Account: To ensure safety for yourself and your loved one, you’ll need to first create a HomeWAV account online, either through your computer browser or the mobile app on your phone. (The mobile app is available free in the app store for iOS and Android.) You will need to upload a profile picture of yourself that is head-on, from the shoulders up, and without filters or edits, as well as a government-issued ID like your license, state ID, or passport.

2. Wait to be Accepted by the Detention Facility: In most cases, your account will be reviewed by the correctional facility within 24 to 48 hours. The correctional facility will see your account, profile photo, and government-issued ID, then grant or deny access. This process is similar to the one you would need to go through to visit in-person and gives facility staff the awareness of who inmates are speaking with.

Please note that acceptance is at the discretion of each correctional facility. Outside of financial fraud situations, HomeWAV does not stop accounts from being made. If your account is not accepted, please contact the detention facility.

3. Add Funds to Your Account: You can also add funds to your incarcerated loved one’s HomeWAV account through the website, mobile app, a PayNearMe kiosk, or through our automated phone payment system. Your loved one will be able to use these funds to call those on their approved phone list. 

Fees and services are set independently by each corrections facility, but most are between 10 and 30 cents per minute. eMessaging features are less than one cent per character. Unlike calls from the detention center which can sometimes allow for outgoing collect calls, you will need to add funds via credit, debit, or prepaid cards prior to the call. Enter the amount you would like to add to your account via the “Add ‘Talk to Me’ Funds” in the app or online.

4. Stay Logged into Your Account and Wait: The great thing about video calling with an inmate is that you do not need to have a scheduled time to chat. Instead, voice and video calls are initiated from your loved one when they have access to a HomeWAV kiosk or tablet. Your loved one will be notified via kiosk or tablet once you are signed into your account and available to connect.

5. Video Call with Your Loved One: When you are both available, your loved one can call you through our secure app or website portal. Be sure to have a strong Wi-Fi signal for the best video quality.

We understand that knowing someone in jail is hard, but with HomeWAV, we hope to make communicating easier by allowing video calls similar to FaceTime. With video calls, you can keep your loved one up-to-date about what is happening in your life and feel a bit closer, even while they are incarcerated. 

For more information about HomeWAV or how to stay in contact with your loved one, help children understand the situation, and care for yourself during this trying time, we have free resources available on our website.

A Look Into the Connection Between Jail and Mental Health

It doesn’t come as a surprise to most that incarceration has been linked to negative effects on mental health. Incarcerated individuals are removed from society, resulting in many feeling like they no longer have a purpose. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, though it varies from each incarcerated person to another, jail can cause lasting negative mental health disorders such as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.

One effect of incarceration on mental health is referred to as “Post-Incarceration Syndrome.” This is similar to PTSD, where even after a person is released from incarceration, they continue to suffer from the mental effects. This is a more extreme effect that jail has on one’s mental health, but there are plenty of minor effects as well: feeling disconnected from friends and family, boredom, loss of autonomy, and feeling unsafe in one’s surroundings. These can have a huge negative impact on a person’s mental health.

A Positive Impact: Jail Video Calls

Because of the way it is set up, the negative mental health effects of the jail system aren’t going anywhere. Thankfully, there are ways to make small positive impacts on the mental health of those incarcerated. One way is for jails to allow video calls between those incarcerated and their family and friends.

According to the National Institution of Corrections, “visits from family members, children, and other sources of support can be a lifeline in the lives of incarcerated men and women. Visits provide an opportunity to maintain connection, rebuild relationships, and actively begin to form links to the community both for support and to assist in the reentry process.” Though video calls from jail don’t have the exact same effect as in-person visits, in-person visits are not always a possibility. Jail video calls are the next best thing.

With jail video calls, incarcerated individuals and their family members are able to communicate while looking at each other, be it on-screen, allowing for a deeper connection. Research has found that a jail that allows different types of visitation is linked to positive mental health of those incarcerated. This means seeing reduced symptoms of depression, feelings of isolation and fear, stress, and more. Incarcerated people who have access to visitation, including jail video calls, have also been linked to a decreased chance of felony reconviction.

Let HomeWAV Help Ease the Effects of Incarceration on Mental Health

HomeWAV’s jail video call solutions can help make a positive impact on the mental health of those who are incarcerated. In addition to video calls, we offer eMessaging, voice calls, and more. There are so many negative effects of incarceration on mental health; let HomeWAV help you make a positive impact. Create an account today to get started.

Introducing the Future Standard of Payments! 

 

At HomeWAV, we’re setting a new standard for payment accessibility. Say goodbye to limitations and hello to a world of convenience, as we empower you with an array of trusted payment methods to choose from – including Credit, Debit, Cash, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, and PayPal. 

 

We believe in constantly evolving and innovating to make our app even more user-friendly and efficient to help connect communities. This update allows us to implement new features and technology that will elevate your experience, ensuring a faster and more secure payment process.

 

What can you expect from our flexible and secure payment options?

 

Additional Payment Methods: Experience the ease and flexibility of choosing from a wide selection of payment options. With Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, and PayPal as your default choices, you can pay your way, your style. This integration also still supports credit and debit card payments.

 

Automated Refunds: We’ve streamlined the refund process. Experience hassle-free automated refunds, putting you in control of your finances and ensuring a smooth refund experience. 

 

Update Saved Payment Methods: While your previous payment types won’t automatically transfer with this change, we see this as an opportunity to provide you with a clean slate, giving you the chance to review and update your payment information with ease. As part of this secure upgrade, we invite you to reload your payment information into the app to continue using autopay. We understand updating this can be a bit of a hassle, but we assure you that this will lead to a smoother and more seamless experience each time you want to communicate with your loved one.

 

We’re committed to improving our technology to foster quality connections with your loved ones, and our new flexible payment options are now a part of your everyday experience to communicate.

 

For more information, contact our Customer Support Team here and they will be happy to assist you with any questions.

Whether your friend or family member has just been booked or has been incarcerated for some time, keeping the lines of communication open is important, not just to determine their next steps, but for both your and the incarcerated individual’s mental health. However, getting in contact can seem complicated, especially if you are newer to having an incarcerated loved one. So how do you call someone who is in jail?

How to Call Someone in Jail

Phone calls always need to be made from the incarcerated individual to you. Even if you have the phone number of the facility where they are located, you will not be able to call and talk to them. However, they will be able to call you. 

Once they are booked, processed, and authorized to make calls, you will have more opportunities to have contact with them. HomeWAV makes it easier by allowing those incarcerated to initiate remote video and voice calls, as well as allowing them to eMessage you via text and video messaging. Additionally, you can schedule on-site visits directly through HomeWAV’s ByPAS™ system.

How an Incarcerated Individual Initiates a Phone Call from Jail

When an inmate has been cleared to make phone calls, they will be able to do so on a schedule dependent on the facility. While facility landline phones require collect calls and cannot be made to cell phones, HomeWAV’s VoIP phone system allows any compatible internet-enabled device with the appropriate software to make traditional jail phone calls to your cell phone, eliminating the barriers that more restrictive landlines present.

Additionally, inmate communication companies like HomeWAV allow for more features, including video calling, to encourage communication between inmates and their loved ones.

How to Use HomeWAV

When your incarcerated friend or family is logged into the HomeWAV kiosk or tablet, they will be able to see that you are available and initiate a call. This provides you with more opportunities to connect, the ability to talk to them wherever you are through your cell phone or tablet (as long as you have a strong internet connection), and video call with them. 

HomeWAV also makes it easy to communicate in other ways. If the facility allows eMessaging, you will be able to send text, video, gifs, and image messages if applicable. This helps you to communicate in different ways, sharing daily life events, photos of loved ones, and short notes.

Getting started with HomeWAV is easy. Simply:

1) Download the free app (available for Android and Apple) or go to the HomeWAV website.

2) Create an account. You will be prompted to send a photo and a valid ID card. Your information will be reviewed by the facility where your loved one is incarcerated.  It is up to the facility whether to accept or deny your account.

3) When your account has been accepted, you can now add money to your loved one’s account. Like a phone card, this will allow your loved one a specific amount they can use on the HomeWAV tablet or kiosk.

4) Communicate via eMessaging any time or video call when your loved one is available on the HomeWAV kiosk.

While it isn’t the same as being able to pick up the phone and call any time, HomeWAV gives you more freedom and helps relieve the burden to communicate. 

Although having friends or family in jail is a stressful and difficult time for everyone involved, with HomeWAV, we make staying connected much easier on you and your loved ones. To learn more about HomeWAV, please see our frequently asked questions.