How do I send an inmate money?
Butte County Jail has its own methods for receiving money for inmates, and that information can be found above or by calling 530-538-7471 and asking, however all jails and prisons all receive money for an inmate’s trust and commissary account, as well as an account used for communications, pretty much the same way.
1. Mailing an inmate a money order or cashier’s check from a trusted source such as the Post Office, a local bank, or Western Union. The Money order should be be made out to either the inmate or the facility, with the inmate’s name and ID# on the memo line of the check.
When mailing a money order or cashier’s check, send it an envelope by itself. Never send it with a letter or photos for your inmate.
Never send personal checks or cash either.
2. Deposit cash or use a debit or credit card to send an inmate money using an ATM machine that is usually located in the lobby or visitation area of the facility.
3. Some jails have a reception desk or booth that is open during certain hours that they will list on their website. They will accept cash, money orders or cashier checks. Other facilities that don’t have a human manning the desk will have mail drop where you can leave a money order or check. No cash can be left in these boxes.
4. There are multiple companies that jails and prisons contract with which accept inmate deposits online, by mail or over the phone, or even in ATM machines you can find in check cashing stores and retail outlets across the country.
If one of these companies (listed in the next question) works with Butte County Jail, this information will be outlined above.
Who are the companies that jails use to send money to inmates?
There are many companies competing for the accounts of jail and prison inmates. Their intention is to alleviate the staffing and financial responsibility of handling inmate’s accounts. They usually charge a fee equal to 3-5% of the total deposit.
The companies, in alphabetical order, are:
Access Corrections
AllPaid (aka GovPayNet)
Care A Cell
Cash Bond Online
CIDNET
City Tele Coin
CommissaryDeposit.com
Correct Solutions Group
Correctpay
Ctel
Edevo
Express Account
gettingout
GTL
Inmate Canteen
InmateSales
JailATM
Jail Pack Store (McDaniel Supply)
Jailpayments.com
Jpay
NCIC
JailCanteen (Oasis)
Paytel
Pigeonly
Prodigy Sales
Reliance
Securus
Smart Communications
Tennessee Business Enterprise
Tiger
Touchpay
How do I send an inmate money by mail?
To send an inmate money by mail you first have to have the money converted to a money order, preferably from the US Post Office, or a Cashier’s Check. Never send cash, and never send a personal check.
To find the address for sending money to an inmate, call the jail at 530-538-7471.
Can I send an inmate money online?
Almost every facility contracts with a company that helps friends and families of inmates send them money. The list can be found above.
To find out who Butte County Jail contracts with for inmate deposits, call them at 530-538-7471.
How do I send money to someone in the United States Bureau of Prisons?
There are several ways to send money to an inmate into United States Bureau of Prisons.
There are threeways to deposit money in an inmate's account in the Federal Bureau of Prisons:
- Moneygram
- Western Union Online Deposits
- United States Postal Service- Mailing a Payment
In order to do any of these you need to know the exact name the inmate is incarcerated under, and their Inmate ID#(aka RegisterNumber)
If you can't find the inmate and Register Number online, use the online contactform to request help.
1.Butte County Jail and Moneygram
You can send an inmate funds electronically using MoneyGram's ExpressPayment Program.
You can send money either online or at a Moneygram location.
- Funds are received and processed seven days per week, including holidays.
- Funds sent between 7:00AM - 9:00PM EST are posted within 2 to 4 hours.
- Funds sent after 9:00PM EST are posted at 7:00AM EST the following morning.
- If you have any questions you may contact BOP staff at 202-307-2712 between 8:00AMand 4:30PMEST.
NOTE: Do not send money until the inmate has actually arrived to the facility he has been assigned. At that point you can locate their location online.
Sending a Moneygram online
Please visit https://www.moneygram.com/mgo/us/en/paybills, and enter the receive code 7932 or Federal Bureau of Prisons.
First time users will have to set up a profile and account.
A MasterCard or Visa credit card is required.
The maximum you can send is $300 at a time.
Sending a Moneygram from a Location
Locate the nearest agent by calling 800-926-9400 or finding a location online.
You'll need to complete a MoneyGram ExpressPayment Blue Form.
You can pay with cash or credit/debit Mastercard or Visa.
2. Butte County JailandWestern Union.
- First, you need to know the exact spelling of the inmate's name andinmates ID #
NOTE: Do not send money until the inmate has actually arrived to the facility he has been assigned. At that point you can locate their location online.
Sending a Western Union payment online
You need to know these codes.
Codes:
Code City: FBOP, DC
State: DC
Senders Account #: Inmate's eight-digit register number with no spaces or dashes, followed immediately by the inmate's last name (example: 12345678DOE)
Attention: Inmate's full committed name
- Type in and select FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISON, then follow Western Union's instructions.
- For questions, concerns or to add funds via Western Union over the phone, call 800-325-6000.
Sending a Western Union payment from a location
Western Union Facilities
Deposit funds in-person atWestern Union.
Codes:
Code City: FBOP, DC
State: DC
Senders Account #: Inmate's eight-digit register number with no spaces or dashes, followed immediately by the inmate's last name (example: 12345678DOE)
Attention: Inmate's full committed name
If you have any questions you may contact BOP staff at 202-307-2712 between 8:00AM and 4:30PM EST.
3. Butte County Jail and Mailing a Payment
- First, you need to know the exact spelling of the inmate's name andinmates ID #
NOTE: Do not send money until the inmate has actually arrived to the facility he has been assigned. At that point you can locate their location online.
When sending an inmate money by mail, the Butte County Jail will only accept:
- US Postal Money Orders
**Important Notes**
- Obtain a money order and include both the inmate's:
- Full committed name AND complete eight-digit register numberon the money order.
- Non-postal money orders and non-government checks will be placed on a 15-day hold.
-If you have any questions you may contact BOP staff at 202-307-2712 between 8:00AM and 4:30PM EST.
Make sure your full name and return address is on the envelope.
Address the Money Order to:
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Insert Valid Committed Inmate Name
Insert Inmate Eight-Digit Register Number
Post Office Box 474701
Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001
What are inmate funds?
Inmate funds are the cash that an inmate has on themselves when they are booked into jail, plus the money that friends and family add while they are incarcerated. Inmate funds are also known as ‘inmate trust account’, ‘inmate commissary account’, and ‘inmate money account’.
How much money can an inmate have?
Typically, most jails allow an innate spend no more than $300-400 per month on snacks and hygiene products, with another $300 spent on phone calls and other communication services. Some jails limit the amount an inmate can spend on snacks to as low as $100 per month, but that is rare.
To find out how much the Butte County Jail allows, call the jail at 530-538-7471.
How much money can I send an inmate at one time?
Most jails limit the amount that you can send an inmate to $200 at one time. If a money order exceeds $50.00 some jails will hold the money for up to 30 days before releasing it. The quickest way to get money on an inmate’s account is to deposit it either online or over the phone with the outside vendor the jail works with.
Is it illegal for an inmate to have cash?
It is not illegal for an inmate to have cash, but it is considered contraband and will be confiscated by the Butte County Jail if it is discovered. There could be additional punishment such as phone or visitation limited. It is unlikely that criminal charges will be levied though.
If an inmate can’t have cash in jail or prison, how do they purchase contraband or gamble?
Inmates are very creative in coming up with alternatives to cash for buying goods and services and taking part in gambling and other recreational activities.
• Some jails use stamps as a form of currency.
• Some use a “unit”, which is basically a candy bar, bag of chips or foil package of tuna.
• Some buy goods and services for a “tray”, which is basically a meal, especially one that contains food that may be in demand, such as “chicken on the bone”.
• Some will trade a service such as legal research, haircutting, jail artwork to send to a loved one.
• Some will agree to clean another’s cell in exchange for a candy bar or some coffee.
Basically, everything and anything can be used for trade instead of cash, but one thing is for certain, in jail, you must pay your debt. If you agree to do something when it comes to owing “money”, and you don’t pay, you may end up with a broken jaw when you least expect it.
What are things prisoners use or trade in lieu of cash?
Inmates in jail and prisoners in prisons, in lieu of cash, trade food, meals, haircuts, cell cleaning, legal research, artwork and communication credits (phone, email, etc.).
What kind of food can an inmate purchase on Commissary?
Commissaries carry every type of food imaginable:
• Cookies
• Pastries
• Candy
• Tuna and mackerel
• Coffee
• Tea
• Soft drinks
• Energy drinks
• Pizza
• Hamburgers
• Chicken fingers
• Spices
Some jails have larger selections than others, and some contract with companies that ship in gift packages of food, and even fast food that can be reheated.
Prisons in Canada even have small fast-food outlets that operate within the jail.
What items can inmates purchase in jail and prison?
Besides the food products mentioned above, inmates can purchase:
• hygiene products like soaps, shampoos and lotions,
• clothing like sweats, t-shirts, hoodies and sneakers,
• stationary supplies
• religious garments
• books
• televisions, radios and headphones
• movie and television programming
• educational courses
