hi,
i want to send money to someone at wasco state prison. can anyone help me with the process? i heard that if you send a money order directly to the prisoner, the mailroom will take it out and apply it to his account. has anyone done this and can confirm? my friend said something about it having to be a "postal" money order from the post office... is that true? who should i make it out to? the prisoner? the prison?

hi,
i want to send money to someone at wasco state prison. can anyone help me with the process? i heard that if you send a money order directly to the prisoner, the mailroom will take it out and apply it to his account. has anyone done this and can confirm? my friend said something about it having to be a "postal" money order from the post office... is that true? who should i make it out to? the prisoner? the prison?


Hi Lusa

It's quite easy and standard practice for almost all facilities. Write your Friend/BF/Penpal a letter. In that letter include a postal money order. Make it out to him and include his CDC # and his same address you send letters to on the money order. The mailroom removes it, it's brought by later for him to sign and then posted to his inmate account in about 1-3 weeks. Remeber that the CDC takes 33% of all funds sent in and effective 01-05 it will be 44%. I've done it like 15 times now and never a problem and averages about 10 days to get posted to his account.

RPinSD :thumbsup:

Yes that is exactly how u do it! Remember one thing the mail at Wasco is behind by at least 4 weeks so u can send it overnite it will still take awhile to put it in his account. But not as long as it would regular mail! Also it does not have to be a postal order. But if it is a postal money order it gets applied to his account faster.

Personal checks work too. At least at CIM. I've also used any kind of money order. Overnight mail took longer for me because they sent it with the legal mail. Next time I save the 13.95 and send it with a stamp.

thanks to everyone for the quick input. i will be sending it off tomorrow morning! 33-44% is crazy though. we should petition or something...

Mistify, on the 1st you noted Wasco mail is 4 wks behind. WOW! Mr. GB sent me a letter on the 29th and it got here in two days (to Southern Cal.) I replied and am bummed to think he wont get it for four weeks! Also, I posted before about wondering where he'll go from Wasco. He mentioned Tehachapi or Chino. Do you know who decides? Judge? Population avail? thanks!

They only take that much if the inmate owes restititution.
Wendy

Why does the prison take out money? Does what they take go towards their restitution? thx.

Why does the prison take out money? Does what they take go towards their restitution? thx.


Hi

Yeah they take the money for the Office of Victim Services and Restitution and most inmates have a restitution order casue all the counties charge the inmate for court cost. Now the sucky thing taking 33% now and 44% Come Jan 1 05, Your jaw is going to drop come Jan 07 as it goes up to a Whopping 55%.

But there's a way around this, just order all the expensive stuff via quaterly packages and just keep enough on the books so he can go to canteen once in awhile.

RPinSD