Sending Money to Inmates

It is no secret that prison life is tough, with most inmates being denied simple pleasures, such as good food or decent shampoo. Of course, a prison sentence is a time to reflect on the crime committed and to pay dues, but this does not mean that inmates cannot have the simple things that we all take for granted every single day. We can help send money to an inmate.

While the very basic needs of inmates such as food, bed, and clothing are met, other items such as hygiene products, snacks, better quality food, and clothing need to be purchased from something called the Commissary. In order to purchase items, each inmate needs money. So, how and where do they obtain this money? With a little help from their loved ones. Pigeonly is here to make sure those loved ones can be charitable in the easiest and safest way possible. 

What is the Commissary?

The Commissary is essentially a shop situated within the prison. However, it is not set up like a normal shop. Inmates cannot browse around or fill a basket and take it to checkout. Instead, they must write a list of the things they need. Then, they stand in line and wait for their turn at the kiosk. After handing over their list to the attendant, they will locate the items and hand them over. The money for these items is deducted from the inmate's commissary account.

The type of items available in the Commissary varies between prison facilities, but typically you can expect to find a range of toiletries, such as shampoo, conditioner, sanitary items, soap, and toilet paper. Food items tend to be snacks like chips, coffee, cookies, chocolate, and ramen noodles. Occasionally, other items can be requested, such as shoes, underwear, pens, and paper.

How Do Inmates Obtain Money for Commissary?

There are three main ways an inmate can receive funds into their commissary account:

• Performing Prison Work: Most prison facilities will include some kind of work program where inmates can perform jobs in exchange for payment. However, this is typically does not pay well.
• Legal Settlement: There could be a legal settlement agreement in place that places funds into the account
• Sending Money to an Inmate: By far, the most common way for an inmate to receive funds is for a loved one to send and deposit money into their account.

How Do I Put Money on Inmates Books?

If you have a loved one serving jail time, then it is natural that you want to make life as comfortable as possible for them. One way to do this is to deposit money for inmates online.

Historically, this has been a complicated process. Thanks to the internet, technology, and the service offered from Pigeonly, the process has been simplified.

Pigeonly is a way to connect to your incarcerated loved one in more ways than ever before. In addition to making it easy to keep in touch, the service also makes it simple to send money to inmates.

How to Send Money to an Inmate

First, it is necessary to perform an inmate search so you can know that you are sending money to the right person. Pigeonly has a free inmate locator that allows you to quickly complete the inmate search process.

To successfully use the federal inmate locator, all you need is the inmate's full name. To speed up the process, it helps to have the inmate's ID number and the name of the facility they are in.

Once you have located your inmate, you will then be able to select what type of payment you would like to make (fund their Commissary or fund their phone account). You can use a debit, credit, or prepaid card to deposit funds. Once you have authorized the payment, Pigeonly takes care of the rest:

• You will be assisted in establishing an account with the prison commissary vendor
• Deposit fees and charges (if any) will be confirmed with you
• All your questions will be addressed and answered
• Full support is given at every step of the way

Deposit Money for an Inmate Online Today

You can use Pigeonly to send money to inmates as often as you like. After a seven-day free trial, the Pigeonly service only costs $11.66 per month. In addition to sending inmates money for Commissary, Pigeonly also provides the following services:

• Adding money to phone accounts
• Talk time at affordable rates
• Unlimited photos
• Unlimited letters
• Unlimited postcards
• Unlimited greeting cards
• Unlimited web articles

Prison life is tough and stressful, which is why Pigeonly is there to make it that little bit easier for you and your loved ones. Make life for an inmate more comfortable by performing an inmate lookup, and sending them commissary money the simple way, through Pigeonly. Contact us today.