Jails contain stores known as commissaries, which typically sell items like snacks, condiments, writing utensils, hygiene products, and apparel. However, inmates are not allowed to have their own money while they are being held in custody. Therefore, you will have to load funds onto your loved one’s commissary account before they can make any purchases. This article will explain how to send funds to an inmate at the Utah County Jail, which is located in Spanish Fork.
How to Load Funds or Make a Direct Purchase
The Utah County Jail processes commissary orders through a web service called MyCarePack. To load an inmate’s commissary account or select items for direct purchase yourself, follow these simple steps:
- Navigate to MyCarePack.com.
- Select your state and facility (Utah County Jail) from the drop-down menu on the left hand side of the page, then click the “Enter” button.
- You’ll be taken to a welcome screen confirming that “you are now in the Utah County store.”
- Click the grey “Facility Guidelines” button and take a few minutes to read through the text.
- From here, you have two options. You can either:
- Click the blue “Smart Deposit” button and select a deposit amount from the dropdown. Deposit amounts are in increments of 10, starting at $20.00. This will send the inmate funds, so that they can choose which products they’d like to buy.
- To make a direct commissary purchase yourself, simply click on your category of interest. As of August, 2015, shoppers can choose between Stamps, Stationary, and/or Health & Beauty.
What Items Are on the Utah County Jail Commissary Menu?
Items you can find on the commissary menu include, but are not limited to, the following. Please note these prices are subject to change.
- Stamps
- 10 stamps – $6.50
- Large stamped 9 x 12 – $3.00
- Stamped envelope – $0.89
- Stationary
- 9 x 12 envelope – $0.45
- Blank card – $3.00
- Colored pencils – $2.00
- Dictionary – $6.00
- Legal pad – $1.93
- Pencil – $0.24
- Pencil-top eraser – $0.10
- Health & Beauty
- Conditioner – $3.57
- Deodorant – Varies by brand
- Hair comb – $0.12
- Hair ties – $0.18 each
- Mouth wash – $2.10
- Pillow – $10.14
- Toothbrush – $0.58
- Toothpaste – Varies by brand
- Shampoo – Varies by brand
- Soap – Varies by brand
Various over-the-counter medications are available in single-use packs, including:
- Acetaminophen
- Antacid
- Ibuprofen
- Lordamed (allergy relief)
- Orasol Gel (tooth/gum pain relief)
- Sinus Tabs
Not every inmate will have access to the same commissary items. Availability of certain goods depends on factors like where the inmate is housed, and whether any restrictions or special classifications apply to the inmate.
What if an Inmate Already Owes Jail Fees?
Inmates are not allowed to order goods from the commissary if they owe any unpaid fees to the jail. If your loved one owes the jail a payment, any funds you load onto their commissary account will be applied toward their balance rather than going toward commissary purchases. The outstanding debt must be 100% paid off before the inmate will be permitted to make commissary purchases.
That being said, jail policy also recognizes the need to maintain good hygiene. Therefore, inmates are allowed to order certain hygiene products (as well as writing stationery), even if they have unpaid debts. Outside of this narrow exception, debt repayment takes financial priority over purchases of commissary goods.
If you’d like to pay the debt on behalf of the inmate, send your payment to the following address:
Utah County Jail
Attn: Jail Accounting
3075 N. Main St.
Spanish Fork, UT 84660
Acceptable methods of payment include:
- Cash
- Cashier’s Checks
- Credit Cards
- Credit card payments must be made on-site at the jail.
- You will be charged an additional 3% fee if you pay with a credit card.
- Money Order
Inmates can also apply their commissary funds toward phone time. Inmates may purchase calling cards from the commissary for $20.75.
While purchasing items for your loved one is a great way to help keep them more comfortable, what’s most important is getting them released as soon as possible. If your loved one is in custody at the Utah County Jail, the Salt Lake City criminal defense lawyers of Overson & Bugden may be able to help.
If you have questions about the charges against your loved one, need help understanding bail, or are concerned that your loved one’s legal rights have been violated, call our law offices right away at (801) 758-2287 to set up a free and confidential case evaluation. Equipped with 16 years of practical experience, our Utah criminal defense attorneys are prepared to handle even complex felony charges, including drug crimes, sex offenses, and weapons crimes.
