As an inmate advocate, I urge people who have a family member in jail or prison to make a point to visit them regularly. Write your loved ones and friends while they’re sitting in that cell. As their only connection to the outside world, they need our support, encouragement and love during this difficult time.

Ask questions about their emotional state. Take any requests for help seriously. Pay attention to the details in their letters. Inquire about their legal rights when there is no money for a lawyer. Be vigilant when loved ones are in custody for prolonged periods of time. Ask for a copy of the inmate rule book. Ask to meet with staff. Once the cell door is slammed shut the voice of an inmate is silenced.

There is a difference between jail and prison. Raise questions to corrections staff about the medical care of your loved ones who are chronically ill or have made serious attempts at suicide. What happens to an inmate after a suicide attempt? All inmates have the right to dignified and respectful treatment during their incarceration. Too often inmates become a forgotten entity, absorbed by a system that is sorely broken.

When any doubt looms as to the safety and welfare of any inmate, the public has a right to know what’s going on. Too many inmates are locked away in the back cells of corrections institutions, becoming disenfranchised and marginalized.

Calvin E. Dube, Lewiston