The word “commissary” can have many different meanings, but in the context of correctional facilities, it refers to a store inside the jail or prison. Guide to Salt Lake County Jail inmates are not allowed to possess cash, checks, or credit cards, but they can use a pre-paid commissary account to purchase snacks, supplies, and other goods to help keep their stay a little more comfortable. In this article, we’ll explain the different ways you can load your loved one’s commissary account.
Load a Commissary in Person or Via Mail
There are five ways to load a commissary account for an inmate at the Salt Lake County Jail:
- By mail
- In person
- Online
- By phone
- Direct purchase
The first method is to load an account through the mail. You can send cash, money orders, cashier’s checks, or certified checks, but personal checks will not be accepted.
Once the funds arrive and are processed, they will be credited to the inmate’s account. To keep processing as rapid as possible, be sure to take all the following steps when sending funds in the mail:
- Send only the exact amount you wish to spend. The jail will not send you change, nor will you receive a receipt.
- Make sure you include a return address on the letter in case there are any problems.
- Send your mail to the following address:
- (Insert inmate’s full name and SO#)
c/o Salt lake County Metro Jail
3415 S. 900 W.
Salt Lake City, UT 84119
- (Insert inmate’s full name and SO#)
- Inclusion of the SO# is required. If you don’t know your loved one’s SO#, don’t just leave it off the envelope. You can get the SO# by:
- Dialing (385) 468-8400.
- Using one of the jail’s inmate search tools.
If you happen to live near the jail, it may be easiest to visit in person. The staff member at the front desk will assist you.
Just to reiterate, personal checks will not accepted, nor will change be given, so be sure to arrive with cash, a money order, or a cashier’s check or certified check in the desired amount.
Funds are credited to inmates’ accounts only during the following hours:
- 8:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.
- 4:00 P.M. to 11:30 P.M.
Be advised that you may experience delays if you are paying by check and arrive outside your bank’s normal business hours, as checks cannot be deposited until they have been verified. If you can’t make it to the jail until after 5:00 or 6:00 P.M. when your bank closes for the day, it may be simpler to bring cash instead.
How to Send an Inmate Funds by Phone or Computer
If you prefer to make payments via computer – which is probably the fastest option for long-distance loved ones – you can load the inmate’s account online by using the jail’s “Offender Connect” system. The Offender Connect homepage will prompt you to enter your user ID and password, or to create an account if you haven’t done so already. Once you’ve set up an account, you’ll be able to log in and load funds from your debit card or credit card, similar to using PayPal.
You can also load funds over the phone. Simply call (888) 988-4768 to get started. When prompted for a “site ID,” enter the code 143.
Last but not least, you can skip the intermediary step of loading commissary funds and make a direct purchase on the inmate’s behalf. To purchase items from the commissary yourself, visit the Salt Lake County Jail Access SecurePak site online. As with Offender Connect, you’ll be prompted to either log in or create a new account.
Once you’re signed in, you can start shopping for items online. You can even track the items you purchase by entering either the Inmate Number of the confirmation number from your order. Once they arrive at the jail, the items you bought will be sent straight to the inmate.
No matter which method you use to load an account, inmates should anticipate a short delay between submitting an order and receiving goods. Commissary schedules vary, and are determined by “Pod,” or section of the jail where the inmate is housed, as described below:
- Pod A
- Submit order – Wednesday
- Receive order – Monday
- Pod B
- Submit order – Friday
- Receive order – Tuesday
- Pod C
- Submit order – Sunday
- Receive order – Wednesday
- Pod D
- Submit order – Tuesday
- Receive order – Friday
As long as the inmate has sufficient funds in their account by 11:30 P.M. on the day the order is placed, the order should be picked up the following morning. To keep processing as smooth and rapid as possible, be sure to follow the instructions we’ve supplied in this article.
For more information about the jail and its rules and procedures, you might be interested in reading about:
- How to post bail at the Salt Lake County Jail
- How to contact an inmate at the Salt Lake County Jail
- Salt Lake County Jail visiting hours
If your loved one is incarcerated at Utah’s Salt Lake County jail, call a Salt Lake City criminal defense lawyer at (801) 758-2287 to set up a free and confidential legal consultation. Our experienced legal team may be can help you seek a bail reduction, fight the charges, and make sure your loved one’s legal rights are being protected. We have over 16 years of experience handling a wide range of misdemeanors and felonies.
