Sending Mail to Inmates in Louisiana
Inmates can receive letters and standard sized greeting cards from friends and family members. The cards may not be electronic or musical. Offenders can also receive 4"x6" photos as long as they are not instant/Polaroid as these pose a security risk. No photos can contain nudity or depict illegal activities. Hand gestures and pictures of tattoos are also prohibited as they can be misconstrued as gang symbols. You should never send cash, stamps or any other items in the mail as they will be rejected or confiscated. Stamps must be purchased by the offender through the commissary. When sending mail to an inmate never mark or decorate/embellish the envelope in any way (i.e. no lipstick, perfume, glitter, stickers, markers, crayons, doodles etc.) as this will result in the mail being rejected.
When you send correspondence to your inmate you should address it in the following format:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Facility Name
PO Box or Street address
City, State, Zip Code
How to Send Books and Magazines to Louisiana Inmates
The Department of Corrections states that at no time can you send packages and publications directly from you, instead they must come from an approved vendor like Amazon.com. Using Amazon.com you can order up to three paperback books, or purchase a magazine/newspaper subscription for your inmate. The books must always be new and come directly from Amazon, and no publications can ever contain nudity, maps, describe how to make weapons or explosives, and cannot incite hate or jeopardize the security of the institution. If you want to learn more about sending these items to an inmate read about it here.
Sending Money to Inmates in Louisiana
Inmates in Louisiana can receive money through JPAY in a variety of ways. These funds are deposited into the inmate's commissary account and can be used to purchase a variety of items from stationary and stamps to food, hygiene items, clothing, shoes, and even electronics.
You can send funds to an inmate by:
- Walk In
- Internet
- Phone
In order to send funds to an inmate you will need to know the following:
- The Inmates Name
- The Inmates Identification Number
- The current location of the inmate
Deposit by Walk In
Friends and family members can deposit money by visiting any MoneyGram location, this includes any CVS or Walmart. You will need to use the receive code 8714. The deposit may be made for a fee and can be paid with cash or debit card. Funds are usually available within 24 hours. The account Number is the inmate ID number followed by the inmate's last name with no space between them for example John Smith 54321 would be 54321Smith. Deposits over $500 may be subject to an investigation. In addition to MoneyGram locations you may also deposit funds in person by using the kiosks in the visiting area of the institution.
Deposit by Internet
Funds can also be deposited over the internet by visiting JPAY. Users can send up to $300, fee's vary from $3.50-$10.50 depending on the amount of the transaction. You can use Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards to send the funds. The money you send is usually available to the inmate within 48 hours.
Deposit Funds Over the Phone
Friends and family can also deposit money to an inmate's account by calling JPAY at 1-800-574-5729. You can use a MasterCard or Visa debit/credit card to fund the transaction. The maximum amount that can be sent over the phone is $300 and is available within 48 hours to the inmate. Fee's range from $4.50-$11.50 depending on the amount you send.
Deposit Funds Through the Mail
This method takes the longest to be creditted to an inmate's account, but also has the lowest fee associated with it. First you need to purchase a United States Postal Money Order from the Post Office. Then fill the money order out, making it payable to 'JPAY'. You will also need to fill out the inmate funds deposit slip, print it and include it with the money order. Mail them both to:
JPAY
P.O. Box 531370
Miami Shores, FL 33153
For more information on sending funds to an inmate, read our guide here.
Louisiana Inmate Phone Calls
Inmates are allowed to make outgoing collect calls, and prepaid calls through a third party provider called Securus. Offenders can have up to twenty approved phone numbers on their list, and can update the list every quarter. Calls are usually limited to 15 minutes. If you are receiving unwanted or harassing phone calls from an inmate you can contact the office of adult services at (225)-342-9711 and they will block the calls from being made to you.
Cell phones cannot receive collect calls, so if the only phone you have is a cell phone you will need to setup an account through Securus in order to receive calls from your inmate.
The phone service provider for Louisiana DOC is Securus, and you must setup an account if you want to receive calls from your inmate. You can setup your account over the phone by calling 1-800-844-6591 or by visiting their website at securustech.net.
Securus will charge you a fee for each call, plus a rate per minute. You may be able to drastically reduce your inmate phone bill by setting up your account with a number local to the facility. Learn more about how you can save money on your inmate phone calls.