The System   Familiarize yourself with the rules of the institution in which your marriage will be held.  For more information visit the Maryland Correctional Services page.  It will provide you with a list of prisons in Maryland, visitors dress code, visiting information, needed identification, and directions to their facilities.     In addition, be prepared, if you are getting married at a pre-release or maximum security facility.  You and your guests may have to submit to a pre-screening process (criminal background investigation).  This means that everyone on your guest list will have to provide their social security number and date of birth in order to attend the ceremony.     If your guests refuse to give you their private information, be understanding.  These days people are protecting their identity from being stolen.  This does not mean that you would steal it, but accidents happen and you could lose the form.  So ask the Chaplain for alternative ways for your guests to get that information to the person processing the background check.  Try to be as resourceful as possible, because your guests want to be part of your marriage.   Each correctional facility in Maryland may differ from the others, so the rules may change.  Some facilities may not allow wedding ceremonies at all or may not allow a particular inmate to marry.   So check with the Chaplain, and find out the rules for marriage, the day, and time the wedding can be held.  Keep in mind that most ceremonies are held during the week and weekend weddings may not be allowed.     If you feel that you are being treated unfairly, verify the rules by contacting the administrative office at the Maryland Division of Correction (410) 585-3300 or check with a lawyer.   Don't let any of these details deter you from your goal.  Road blocks can only help you to become a better navigator.     Finally, find out what the release date is for your soon to be husband/wife.  This information is very important and can determine whether or not you should wait.  You can check with the courthouse in the jurisdiction in which your fiancé is staying for accurate information.  Because there are times when an inmate will not provide his/her future spouse with the correct release date.  So be strong and check it out for yourself.        Contraband   Make sure you leave the following items at home or in your locked car, because they are considered contraband and will not be allowed in the building:   Matches Cell Phones Lighters Cigarettes Drugs Chewing Gum Pagers   This list may not be complete, so ask the Chaplain for more information.       Facing Challenges   It will be a challenge for your spouse to mentally move from one system into another.  So help him/her with making the right choices while in the prison system to get the necessary spiritual help he/she needs.    This spiritual strength will help your relationship and his/her recovery from a system that can retard a person's self-worth.   Such help should start once you submit your petition to the warden for your marriage.   Show your support by making the 8 visits per month to see your spouse.  Talking is a way of releasing tension and emotional pain.  Use the time to discover what you may need to address in counseling once you and your spouse are cohabiting.    Leaving a prison system feeling good about oneself and one's prospects will only be a catalyst for success in marriage and in life.  A person should find a way to heal of the pain caused by being incarcerated, and continue with that method of healing until he/she is pain free.   To paraphrase Chaplain B, "An inmate should not bring into the home anything associated with prison life.  This is a poison that will only pollute the relationship.    He needs to work it out while in the system by getting the necessary spiritual help.  If the inmate's release date is a few weeks after the wedding, this will not work.  When the release date is months after the wedding there is plenty of time for the inmate to prepare his life for change."
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		Serving Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC      Website designed by Rev. Starlene Joyner Burns ©2008 SJB Ministries, LLC, All Rights Reserved     Website designed by Rev. Starlene Joyner Burns ©2008 SJB Ministries, LLC, All Rights Reserved     Reverend Starlene Joyner Burns specializes in prison weddings in the Washington DC & Baltimore Metropolitan area.