Whether a defendant is charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct or first-degree murder, this is an indispensable guide for those who want to support family members, partners, or friends facing criminal charges. Draining away the confusion by explaining legal proceedings and jail procedures, it identifies common bond scams and lawyer rip-offs and helps organize inmates to assist in their legal defense. In addition to the most common legal motions, challenges, and investigations, this resource also provides additional coverage on how to avoid fights, sex, gambling, and scams that can result in injury while in jail and cause additional criminal charges to be filed. Detailed budgeting forms to calculate the true, multiyear costs of legal defense—all the way through the years of probation, parole, and reentry into society—are also included.