What Prisoners Need To Know - Social Security Administration
What PrisonersNeed To KnowSocialSecurity.gov
What Prisoners Need To KnowSocial Security Disability Insurance(SSDI) and Supplemental SecurityIncome (SSI) payments generally aren’tpayable for months that you’re confinedto a jail, prison, or certain other publicinstitutions for committing a crime.You’re not automatically eligible forSocial Security or SSI payments afteryour release.Who can get Social Securitybenefits?Social Security pays retirement benefitsto people who are age 62 or older.Generally, you must have worked andpaid Social Security taxes for 10 years tobe eligible.We pay disability benefits to insuredindividuals who are unable to workbecause of a serious medical conditionthat is expected to last at least a year orresult in death. A person who is a recentparolee, or who is unemployed, doesn’tqualify for disability payments.Who can get SSI payments?We pay SSI to people who are age 65 orolder, or who are blind or disabled, andwhose income and resources fall belowcertain limits.No benefits are payable for any monthin which you are in jail, prison, or certainother public institutions.1
What happens to my benefitswhen I am in prison?If you receive Social Security, yourbenefits will be suspended if you’reconvicted of a criminal offense andsent to jail or prison for more than 30continuous days. Your benefits canbe reinstated starting with the monthfollowing the month of your release.Although you can’t receive monthlySocial Security benefits while you’reincarcerated, benefits to your spouseor children will continue as long as theyremain eligible.If you’re receiving SSI, your paymentsare suspended while you’re in prison.Your payments can be reinstated in themonth you’re released. However, if yourconfinement lasts for 12 consecutivemonths or longer, your eligibility for SSIbenefits will terminate and you must filea new application for benefits.Can I get my benefits reinstatedafter I’m released from prison?If we suspend your disability or SSIbenefits because you were in prison,you can request for Social Security toreinstate your benefits. You’ll need tocontact Social Security and provide acopy of your release documents beforewe can act on your request.Example: George received monthlySocial Security disability benefitsbefore he was convicted of a crime and2
sent to prison on May 15, 2018. Hisbenefits were suspended effective May2018. On October 10, 2018, George wasreleased from prison. His benefits werereinstated effective November 2018.Since Social Security benefits are paid inthe month following the month for whichthey are due, George will receive hisNovember benefit in December 2018.Example: Sam received SSI benefitsbefore he was confined to prison onJune 7, 2018. He was released onSeptember 7, 2018 and his SSI benefitswere reinstated as of September 7,2018. Sam will be eligible for a partialpayment for September and full benefitsfor October.If you weren’t receiving either SocialSecurity disability or SSI benefitsbefore you went to prison, or yourSSI benefits were terminated, you’llneed to file a new application for benefitsif you think you may be eligible. Youshould contact Social Security for moreinformation about filing a claim forbenefits. You’ll need to provide proof ofyour release from prison, in addition to anew application and other documents.NOTE: We can’t start your benefits untilyour release. We must have your officialrelease documents from the jail orprison where you were confined. Pleaseremember to bring your release formswhen you visit your local Social Securityoffice. This will help us get your benefitsstarted more quickly.3
What about my Medicare orMedicaid coverage?Your eligibility for MedicarePart A (hospital insurance) continuesuninterrupted while you’re in prison. But,Medicare Part B (medical insurance) willterminate if you don’t pay your monthlypremiums while you’re in prison. Tostart Medicare Part B, you’ll need to filean application with us during a generalenrollment period, which is Januarythrough March of each year. If you fileduring this enrollment period, your Part Beligibility will begin on July 1 of that year.If your Medicaid eligibility terminatedwhile you were in prison, you’ll need tocontact your local social services officeto apply for Medicaid coverage. We canprovide a referral form for you to take tothe social services office.How do I file an application if Iam in prison?After you know your release date,notify someone at your facility that youwant to start your Social Security orSSI benefits. If your institution has aprerelease agreement with the localSocial Security office, it will notify usif you’re likely to meet the requirementsfor SSI or disability benefits. We’ll getan application from you several monthsbefore your anticipated release. Thatway, we can begin processing yourapplication and your benefits can start assoon as possible after your release.4
If you’re filing for benefits based ondisability, we’ll gather medical evidencefrom your doctors to help us decidewhether you still meet Social Security’sdefinition of disability.Family members or a social worker canhelp you by contacting Social Securityto let us know of your upcoming release.A family member also may be willingto serve as your representative payeeif your medical condition prevents youfrom handling your own finances.If there is no prerelease agreement,when you know your anticipatedrelease date, contact Social Securityto apply for benefits if you think youmay be eligible. You can call ustoll-free at 1-800-772-1213 and tell therepresentative that you’re scheduled tobe released from a correctional facilityand want to ask about receiving benefits.Please have your Social Securitynumber handy when you contact us.We’ll set up an appointment with yourlocal Social Security office to take yourapplication after your release.What happens if I have afinancial emergency and can’tpay my bills?If the prerelease procedure is usedand you’re qualified for benefits, wecan usually get your benefits startedsoon after your release. If we’re unable5(over)
to do so, and you’re facing a financialemergency, we can issue a paymentimmediately if we determine that You’re eligible for either SocialSecurity disability or SSI benefits; You’re already due a payment; and Your situation qualifies as a financialemergency under our rules.Contacting Social SecurityThe most convenient way to contactus anytime, anywhere is to visitwww.socialsecurity.gov. There,you can: apply for benefits; open amy Social Security account, which youcan use to review your Social SecurityStatement, verify your earnings, print abenefit verification letter, change yourdirect deposit information, request areplacement Medicare card, and get areplacement SSA-1099/1042S; obtainvaluable information; find publications;get answers to frequently askedquestions; and much more.If you don’t have access to the internet,we offer many automated services bytelephone, 24 hours a day, 7 days aweek. Call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213or at our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778,if you’re deaf or hard of hearing.If you need to speak to a person, we cananswer your calls from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.,Monday through Friday. We ask for yourpatience during busy periods since youmay experience higher than usual rate of6
busy signals and longer hold timesto speak to us. We look forward toserving you.7
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Social Security AdministrationPublication No. 05-10133ICN 468767 Unit of Issue — HD (one hundred)December 2018 (July 2017 edition may be used)What Prisoners Need To KnowProduced and published at U.S. taxpayer expense
Social Security or SSI payments after your release. Who can get Social Security benefits? Social Security pays retirement benefits to people who are age 62 or older. Generally, you must have worked and paid Social Security taxes for 10 years to be eligible. We pay disability benefits to insured individuals who are unable to work
older women prisoners, women with disabilities and women under sentence of death, the reader should refer to the UNODC Handbook on Prisoners with Special Needs, which covers the needs of such prisoners, men and women. Reference will need to be made to both handbooks, when dealing with the situation of such categories of female prisoners.
In 2016, the majority of all prisoners in the United States (93%) were male, and this fnding was consistent among both state (93%) and federal (94%) prisoners (table 1). In state prisons, the distribution of male and female prisoners remained unchanged between 2004 and 2016. Te average age of all prisoners in the United States was 39 in 2016.
In 2016, the number of prisoners under sentence of death decreased for the sixteenth consecutive year. Twelve states received a total of 32 prisoners under sentence of death in 2016. Five states executed a total of 20 prisoners in 2016, with Georgia (9) and Texas (7) accounting for 80% of executions. The number of prisoners executed in 2016
Albert Woodfox, myself and all political prisoners over the years. Thank you for helping to bring these injustices to the forefront. If I omitted anyone it was an honest mistake, my apologies and sincere thanks for everything you have done too!! Free The Angola 3! Free ALL political prisoners and prisoners of conscience! All Power to the People! ROBERT KING AKA Robert King Wilkerson 2008. 15 .
population. People who identify as ‘black ’ are imprisoned at an even more disproportionate rate: they comprise only 3% of the general population but 13% of adult prisoners (UK Prison Population Statistics, 2020). HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMI Prisons) inspection reports consistently show that BME prisoners
they possessed a gun during their offense, while 79% of state and 80% of federal prisoners did not. About 29% of state and 36% of federal prisoners serving time for a violent offense possessed a gun during the offense. About 1.3% of prisoners obtained a gun from a retail source and used it during their offense.
Jan 17, 2021 · Home Confinement of Federal Prisoners After the COVID-19 Emergency . The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act authorizes the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to place prisoners in home confinement only during the Act’s cov-ered emergency period and
integral part of the daily routine of the prisons in Bihar. The prisoners are provided the facility of education in the jail through National Institute of . various courses of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Open University. During the year 2017, 222 inmates have enrolled. Before 2010, average number of prisoners enrolled in Indira .
