Arizona inmates receive funds via kiosk

Tags: ATM Installation / Deployment, Bill Payment Kiosks, Custom Kiosks, Government, Manufacturers
9/1/11
 
Transferring money via kiosk is one of only two ways prisoners in Arizona's Maricopa County jail can receive money from friends and family.
The kiosks, which work like ATMs, allow people to use cash, credit or debit cards to add money to an inmate's account, as long as they have the inmate's name and booking number. Users can also add money to an inmate's account through the sheriff's website.
According to the Arizona Republic, the system is part of a countywide initiative to reduce the amount of cash that employees handle. The sheriff's office received the free kiosks via a revenue-sharing agreement with Touchpay, the kiosk manufacturer.
Although the sheriff's office began installing the kiosks in jails more than two years ago,  administrators  have slowly phased in the program, allowing friends and family members the option of putting money in an inmate's account with a detention officer. That option is no longer available
The kiosk system credits the inmate's account within one hour, and inmates may use funds to place phone calls and buy items from canteens. The money inmates spend goes into the Inmate Services Fund, which funds jail programs.