Things just for you
Ten for each stage, ordered by what getting them wrong actually costs.
Two things to know before you start. Nothing in this system happens because it ought to happen — it happens because someone asked, and then asked again, and wrote down when they asked. And the Bureau of Prisons will not proactively tell you anything, ever. Every piece of information you get, you will have gone and found.
The handbook beats me
Local rules vary enormously between institutions and they change constantly. Every facility publishes an admission and orientation handbook and it's usually outdated. It takes precedence over anything written here. Find it, read it, keep it.
This is the short form for those who want it short. The family guide covers this stuff at length, and the family FAQ answers questions one at a time.
Pick your stage
There is stuff for them, too
Thirty items on their side, covering the same three stages from the view from the inside. The two lists barely overlap, which why this one exists separately.
Print their and hand it to them before they report. They will not be able to look it up later.
These pages cover the general rules. Your situation has details they don't. Email me a question. Answers are free, and "you don't need to pay anyone for this" is my most common answer.
I answer in the order received, usually within a couple of days. I have a day job. If your situation genuinely needs more than an email, I take a limited number of consults, so say so and we'll work it out.
Someone else is sitting exactly where you are. Pass it on.