Send Money to SCI Forest Through JPay

How the Money System Works

PA DOC uses JPay statewide to process inmate deposits, including at SCI Forest. You’ll need the inmate’s full name and PA DOC inmate number to send money, the same number used for the inmate locator and mail.

Ways to Deposit

• Online: through jpay.com, using a debit or credit card.
• By phone: call JPay’s automated line at 800-574-5729.
• By money order: mailed to JPay’s processing address, not SCI Forest directly.
• In person: at the facility’s lobby kiosk, if you’re already there for a visit.

Deposit Limits

Credit card deposits are capped at $300 per card every 72 hours. Money orders are capped at $999.99 each, but you’re allowed to send more than one if you need to deposit a larger amount. MoneyGram cash walk-in transactions are capped at $5,000.

Money Orders Go to JPay, Not the Facility

If you’re sending a money order, address it to JPay’s processing address, not SCI Forest’s physical address. A money order mailed directly to the facility will likely be delayed or returned, since PA DOC routes all deposits through JPay regardless of payment method.

No Anonymous Deposits

PA DOC requires that deposits include identifiable sender information. You can’t fund an account without your name attached to the transaction.

What the Money Covers

Deposits fund the inmate’s commissary account, used for purchases like hygiene items, snacks, and other approved goods sold at the prison commissary.

If You’re Depositing for the First Time

Have the inmate’s full legal name and PA DOC inmate number ready before you start. You’ll need to create a JPay account if you don’t already have one, and you should confirm the inmate is currently housed at SCI Forest through PA DOC’s inmate locator before sending anything.

If a Deposit Doesn’t Go Through

Double-check that you haven’t exceeded the 72-hour credit card limit or the per-money-order cap. If a money order was returned, confirm you addressed it to JPay’s processing address instead of the facility. For anything else, contact JPay customer service directly at 800-574-5729.

Is Phone Money the Same as Commissary Money?

No. JPay handles the commissary deposit covered on this page, but Securus runs a completely separate account for phone calls. Funding one doesn’t add money to the other, you’ll need to set up and fund both separately if you want the inmate to have both commissary funds and phone credit.

What Happens to the Money If the Inmate Transfers

If the person you’re sending money to leaves SCI Forest for another PA DOC facility, the JPay account and commissary balance move with him. You don’t need to open a new account, but confirm his new location through PA DOC’s inmate locator before sending anything further, since a deposit sent to the wrong facility context can take longer to sort out.

Court-Ordered Restitution and Holds

Some inmate accounts carry court-ordered restitution obligations or administrative holds that affect how deposited funds get used. If a deposit doesn’t seem to be reaching the commissary balance the way you expect, ask the facility’s business office whether a hold or restitution order applies to the account.