Summarize this article in one sentence.
Whether you're going to be in jail for a couple of days, a couple of weeks, or longer, you need to be honest with your employer. Tell him why you are leaving. You don't need to be explicit - especially if the details are sensitive - but you should not leave him and your co-workers in the dark. They'll need time to cover for you while you're gone. Talk to your credit card companies. Put your cell phone plan on hold to avoid unnecessary charges while you are in jail. Not taking care of something so simple as this can ruin your credit for you when you get out. If you have a financed car, try to sell it. Many ex-prisoners face bankruptcy when they get released because they don't focus on these issues beforehand. In some states, your bank may be able to provide a line of credit to cover your time in jail. This can be applied to your mortgage, car payments, and many other financial issues. Talk to your bank to see if there is anything they can do to make your transition in and out of jail easier on you. When you get into the jail, you'll have a flex account you can use to buy basic things from the commissary. Make sure you have surplus cash just in case. It will come in handy while you are in there. If you are sentenced to 12 months in jail, you can have your case reviewed after a couple of months. If you've behaved well in prison and your lawyer makes a good case for your release, you may get to leave early. A convicted parent's rights differ depending on the crime committed, the state convicted in, and penitentiary held at. In general, protective custody transfers from one parent to the closest of kin (for your child). This means that if you get locked up and your significant other is still free, they'll have the most immediate chance of guardianship. After parents, custody can be temporarily transferred to aunts, uncles, siblings, or grandparents. A judge and children's services will be a part of the decision making process in these respects. If your child doesn't have a family member to take care of them, they'll be placed in foster care for the duration of your sentence. Cases vary based on the crime you've committed. For violent offenses, you may lose custody completely - in which case your child may be put up for adoption. If you can figure all of this out before you go to jail, you'll be in a much better position. Filing claims, talking to judges, and working through the red tape while behind bars is a difficult task.
Talk to your employer. Get your finances in order. Borrow money to put on your account. Get your attorney to file for a review at sentencing. Determine your custody rights if you have children.