Address:
225 Holiday Hills Drive
Parkersburg, WV 26104
Phone:
304-420-2443
Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail uses GTL Connect Network, also known as Viapath Technologies, to facilitate family members and friends to make deposits directly into their Trust Fund Commissary Account that can be used for communication services.
The inmate can then use the money to purchase products from commissary or services such as secure messages and phone calls.
Deposits can be made 24/7 online or by telephone by calling 888-988-4768, or by using the Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail kiosk.
Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail has its own methods for receiving money for inmates, and that information can be found above or by calling 304-420-2443 and asking, however all jails and prisons all receive money for an inmate’s trust and commissary account, as well as an account used for communications, pretty much the same way.
1. Mailing an inmate a money order or cashier’s check from a trusted source such as the Post Office, a local bank, or Western Union. The Money order should be be made out to either the inmate or the facility, with the inmate’s name and ID# on the memo line of the check.
When mailing a money order or cashier’s check, send it an envelope by itself. Never send it with a letter or photos for your inmate.
Never send personal checks or cash either.
2. Deposit cash or use a debit or credit card to send an inmate money using an ATM machine that is usually located in the lobby or visitation area of the facility.
3. Some jails have a reception desk or booth that is open during certain hours that they will list on their website. They will accept cash, money orders or cashier checks. Other facilities that don’t have a human manning the desk will have mail drop where you can leave a money order or check. No cash can be left in these boxes.
4. There are multiple companies that jails and prisons contract with which accept inmate deposits online, by mail or over the phone, or even in ATM machines you can find in check cashing stores and retail outlets across the country.
If one of these companies (listed in the next question) works with Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail, this information will be outlined above.
There are many companies competing for the accounts of jail and prison inmates. Their intention is to alleviate the staffing and financial responsibility of handling inmate’s accounts. They usually charge a fee equal to 3-5% of the total deposit.
The companies, in alphabetical order, are:
Access Corrections
AllPaid (aka GovPayNet)
Care A Cell
Cash Bond Online
CIDNET
City Tele Coin
CommissaryDeposit.com
Correct Solutions Group
Correctpay
Ctel
Edevo
Express Account
gettingout
GTL
Inmate Canteen
InmateSales
JailATM
Jail Pack Store (McDaniel Supply)
Jailpayments.com
Jpay
NCIC
JailCanteen (Oasis)
Paytel
Pigeonly
Prodigy Sales
Reliance
Securus
Smart Communications
Tennessee Business Enterprise
Tiger
Touchpay
To send an inmate money by mail you first have to have the money converted to a money order, preferably from the US Post Office, or a Cashier’s Check. Never send cash, and never send a personal check.
To find the address for sending money to an inmate, call the jail at 304-420-2443.
Almost every facility contracts with a company that helps friends and families of inmates send them money. The list can be found above.
To find out who Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail contracts with for inmate deposits, call them at 304-420-2443.
There are several ways to send money to an inmate into United States Bureau of Prisons.
There are three ways to deposit money in an inmate's account in the Federal Bureau of Prisons:
In order to do any of these you need to know the exact name the inmate is incarcerated under, and their Inmate ID# (aka Register Number)
If you can't find the inmate and Register Number online, use the online contact form to request help.
1. Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail and Moneygram
You can send an inmate funds electronically using MoneyGram's ExpressPayment Program.
You can send money either online or at a Moneygram location.
- Funds are received and processed seven days per week, including holidays.
- Funds sent between 7:00AM - 9:00PM EST are posted within 2 to 4 hours.
- Funds sent after 9:00PM EST are posted at 7:00AM EST the following morning.
- If you have any questions you may contact BOP staff at 202-307-2712 between 8:00AM and 4:30PM EST.
NOTE: Do not send money until the inmate has actually arrived to the facility he has been assigned. At that point you can locate their location online.
Please visit https://www.moneygram.com/mgo/us/en/paybills, and enter the receive code 7932 or Federal Bureau of Prisons.
First time users will have to set up a profile and account.
A MasterCard or Visa credit card is required.
The maximum you can send is $300 at a time.
Locate the nearest agent by calling 800-926-9400 or finding a location online.
You'll need to complete a MoneyGram ExpressPayment Blue Form.
You can pay with cash or credit/debit Mastercard or Visa.
2. Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail and Western Union.
- First, you need to know the exact spelling of the inmate's name and inmates ID #
NOTE: Do not send money until the inmate has actually arrived to the facility he has been assigned. At that point you can locate their location online.
You need to know these codes.
Codes:
Code City: FBOP, DC
State: DC
Senders Account #: Inmate's eight-digit register number with no spaces or dashes, followed immediately by the inmate's last name (example: 12345678DOE)
Attention: Inmate's full committed name
Western Union Facilities
Deposit funds in-person at Western Union.
Codes:
Code City: FBOP, DC
State: DC
Senders Account #: Inmate's eight-digit register number with no spaces or dashes, followed immediately by the inmate's last name (example: 12345678DOE)
Attention: Inmate's full committed name
If you have any questions you may contact BOP staff at 202-307-2712 between 8:00AM and 4:30PM EST.
3. Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail and Mailing a Payment
- First, you need to know the exact spelling of the inmate's name and inmates ID #
NOTE: Do not send money until the inmate has actually arrived to the facility he has been assigned. At that point you can locate their location online.
When sending an inmate money by mail, the Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail will only accept:
**Important Notes**
- Obtain a money order and include both the inmate's:
- Full committed name AND complete eight-digit register number on the money order.
- Non-postal money orders and non-government checks will be placed on a 15-day hold.
- If you have any questions you may contact BOP staff at 202-307-2712 between 8:00AM and 4:30PM EST.
Make sure your full name and return address is on the envelope.
Address the Money Order to:
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Insert Valid Committed Inmate Name
Insert Inmate Eight-Digit Register Number
Post Office Box 474701
Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001
Inmate funds are the cash that an inmate has on themselves when they are booked into jail, plus the money that friends and family add while they are incarcerated. Inmate funds are also known as ‘inmate trust account’, ‘inmate commissary account’, and ‘inmate money account’.
Typically, most jails allow an innate spend no more than $300-400 per month on snacks and hygiene products, with another $300 spent on phone calls and other communication services. Some jails limit the amount an inmate can spend on snacks to as low as $100 per month, but that is rare.
To find out how much the Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail allows, call the jail at 304-420-2443.
Most jails limit the amount that you can send an inmate to $200 at one time. If a money order exceeds $50.00 some jails will hold the money for up to 30 days before releasing it. The quickest way to get money on an inmate’s account is to deposit it either online or over the phone with the outside vendor the jail works with.
It is not illegal for an inmate to have cash, but it is considered contraband and will be confiscated by the Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail if it is discovered. There could be additional punishment such as phone or visitation limited. It is unlikely that criminal charges will be levied though.
Inmates are very creative in coming up with alternatives to cash for buying goods and services and taking part in gambling and other recreational activities.
• Some jails use stamps as a form of currency.
• Some use a “unit”, which is basically a candy bar, bag of chips or foil package of tuna.
• Some buy goods and services for a “tray”, which is basically a meal, especially one that contains food that may be in demand, such as “chicken on the bone”.
• Some will trade a service such as legal research, haircutting, jail artwork to send to a loved one.
• Some will agree to clean another’s cell in exchange for a candy bar or some coffee.
Basically, everything and anything can be used for trade instead of cash, but one thing is for certain, in jail, you must pay your debt. If you agree to do something when it comes to owing “money”, and you don’t pay, you may end up with a broken jaw when you least expect it.
Inmates in jail and prisoners in prisons, in lieu of cash, trade food, meals, haircuts, cell cleaning, legal research, artwork and communication credits (phone, email, etc.).
Commissaries carry every type of food imaginable:
• Cookies
• Pastries
• Candy
• Tuna and mackerel
• Coffee
• Tea
• Soft drinks
• Energy drinks
• Pizza
• Hamburgers
• Chicken fingers
• Spices
Some jails have larger selections than others, and some contract with companies that ship in gift packages of food, and even fast food that can be reheated.
Prisons in Canada even have small fast-food outlets that operate within the jail.
Besides the food products mentioned above, inmates can purchase:
• hygiene products like soaps, shampoos and lotions,
• clothing like sweats, t-shirts, hoodies and sneakers,
• stationary supplies
• religious garments
• books
• televisions, radios and headphones
• movie and television programming
• educational courses
Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail Inmate Commissary Money Instructions
1. Commissary money in the form of a money order may be mailed to:
AdvancePay Service Department
P.O. Box 911722
Denver, CO 80291-1722
2. You may use cash or credit/debit cards at any time by using the kiosk located in the front lobby. The fee for the use of the ATM is generally $1.50 per transaction for cash and 10% fee for credit/debit cards.
3. Commissary money can also be added to an inmates account at any time using any of these methods online.
4. Cash deposits to ConnectNetwork are now available at 26,000 retail locations nationwide including Walmart, ACE, Kmart, Kroger, and more. You’ll start the payment process online in your ConnectNetwork account, then complete your transaction with cash at a participating local retail store. Plus, many of these stores are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Find a retail store near you.
5. You can call customer service 24/7 at 877-650-4249 and get instructions for depositing money over the phone using a debit or credit card.
Inmate Care Packages
Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail may have contracted with a third party Commissary care package company that ships predetermined Care Packages of candy and snacks.
These can be ordered by you online and are delivered directly to the inmate. Call 304-420-2443 to confirm if you don't see the information on this page.
What can an Inmate Purchase through Commissary?
People who have never been to jail would be surprised by the large amount of candy, snacks, art supplies, playing cards, hygiene products and clothing that can be purchased through this jail's commissary.
The Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail Commissary Instructions and Information can be found on this page. If you need more information contact the jail by calling 304-420-2443.
Who Can Put Money in an Inmate's Account?
Anybody can contribute to an inmate's books or commissary fund as long as there isn't a no-contact order in place.
Because of the ability for family members and friends to deposit money online using a credit or debit card, jail inmates can now receive funds from anywhere in the world.
WHY DOES AN INMATE NEED MONEY IN THEIR ACCOUNT AT THE Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail?
Since inmates are not allowed to possess cash money while in custody in the Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail, the jail maintains a 'bank account' for the inmate to purchase products and services from their commissary (canteen) store.
Commissary funds allow inmates to purchase items such as personal hygiene products, snacks and stationery supplies from the jail store.
Inmates can use money from their account to purchase phone time credits or prepaid phone cards in order to make outside phone calls to friends and family members.
Many jails also allow an inmate to bail himself out of jail if he has the funds in his account. The bail amount is typically 10-15% of the bond amount set by the court.
Inmate accounts are also used to pay the co-payment for medication and visits to the jail's medical clinic should they become ill.
Medical Copays, Jail Fees and other Inmate Expenses
Many jails debit (charge) an inmate's commissary accounts for medical visits, any medications including over-the-counter pain reliever, jail stay fees, restitution, etc.
Taking this into consideration when deciding how much to deposit will ensure the inmate gets the amount you wanted him to have after things are deducted.
A quick call to the Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail at 304-420-2443 will let you know how much is deducted from the books for each fee related to medical issues or other jail expenses.
Important Tips
Sometimes an inmate's commissary money is used to purchase items to pay gambling debts or purchase prescription medicine from another inmate. If your inmate is spending more than $10.00 a day on commissary items, you are most likely paying for him or her to gamble or buy drugs.
Some inmates, specifically those who are targeted for being weak or are in jail for rape or child molestation, are forced to relinquish their commissary to avoid regular beatings from other inmates.
If you think your inmate is being targeted for violence or having their commissary taken to avoid beatings, contact the Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail and ask to investigate. If an inmate is being targeted, most jails will intervene and have the victim placed in protective custody, away from the general population.
Put your financial needs first and the inmate's second. Don't forget, the inmate is getting three free 2,000 calorie meals a day. The food may not be of the highest quality, but the commissary food is generally much less nutritious.
Because Wood County and West Virginia can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail at 304-420-2443, or the court in the jurisdiction (i.e. Municipal Court, District Court, etc.) where the offender was charged, and do this right after an arrestee has been booked.
Ask the staff at the Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail or the Wood County Court Clerk these specific questions:
If you feel the bail is too high and you wish to get it reduced, contact a lawyer or the defendant's public defender and get them to look into what they can do to get a bail reduction. The sooner you get working on this the quicker you will get your loved one released.
This entire process will go smoother and faster with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling it for you.
TextBehind enables you to communicate with your incarcerated loved ones located inside the United States from anywhere in the world using text letters, kids' drawings, and custom greeting cards. Unlimited inmate reply letters are processed for electronic delivery to your smartphone and email at no extra charge.
The cost to send an electronic letter is approximately $1.00.
Here’s how it works for Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail:
1. All offender mail (paper and electronic) is addressed and delivered to TextBehind. Electronic mail is sent through the apps (iphone, Google Play). Paper mail is sent to the address below:
Inmate Name and Inmate Number
Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail West Virginia (note: please do not abbreviate the name)
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
2. If it was sent via TextBehind's app (iphone, Google Play), TextBehind can process it within one business day.
3. An additional step is involved in processing mail that is sent using the U.S. Postal Service. TextBehind will use a scanner to make digital files of the contents of the mailing—including cards, photos or artwork.
4. All digital files are then forwarded to the offender’s assigned prison.
5. Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail mailroom prints approved pages and delivers them to the inmate.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Here’s what happens when TextBehind receives a letter from an inmate:
YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS...
IMPORTANT TextBehind LINKS:
Register / Log in with TextBehind
Contact TextBehind with Questions
Add an Inmate to your list of Contacts
** Address to Mail letters using TextBehind **
Inmate Name and Inmate Number
Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail West Virginia (note: please do not abbreviate the name)
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
Why is TextBehind used by Lockups?
Due to the problem of letters and postcards containing, or soaked in contraband (drugs), TextBehind electronic and physical letters is replacing the former policy of allowing mail to be sent directly from inmate’s friends and family members, and vice versa.
Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)
For full instructions on the Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.
To Deposit Money in an inmate's account follow these steps:
**NOTE** GTL is in a transition merging into a new company called ViaPath Technologies.
All the information you need to understand depositing money into an inmate's trust fund, specifically for phone calls, but also for Commissary, in Wood County, can be found on our Send Money Page.
To visit an inmate in Wood County, whether by video or in person 'at the jail', follow these steps:
Other than 'at the jail' visits between you and your inmate, which is explained and outlined in detail on our Visit Inmate Page, Wood County remote video inmate visitation can be done using the services of GettingOut.
There are three ways to remotely visit your inmate in Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail:
1. Using the GettingOut Kiosk at the jail.
2. Using your computer from home.
3. Using your phone on the GettingOut apps.
To remotely visit an inmate in Wood County follow these steps:
1. Start by confirming that Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail's Video Visitation is working correctly by looking up Wood County here.
2. The next step is to create an account here for GettingOut.
3. Then add funds to your account.
4. Last, select Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail, and then the inmate you wish to communicate with.
Other Wood County Services provided by GettingOut:
- Phone Calls & Voicemail
- Email, Photo & Video Sharing
- Inmate Tablet Rental
- Deposits
Customer Service
If you have any questions about the Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail Visitation Services you can call them at 866-516-0115.
Frequently Asked Questions
* All the information you need to have complete knowledge about inmate visitation; policies, rules, fees, schedules, tips, dress codes, and children, lawyers and clergy visitation in Wood County, can be found on our Visit Inmate Page.
Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail Phone: 304-420-2443
To find out how to get access to a tablet for inmate read the following:
1. First, Register or Sign In to GettingOut/GTL
2. Purchase the services you want for your Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail inmate.
3. All inmates have free access to the tablets to read their letters from family & friends, but there are many other services available to keep your inmate busy while incarcerated... such as Games, Books, Music and Movies. These other services come with fees that you can pay for when you pay for phone service.
To learn more about Tablet Rentals for inmates, including the cost, all the services available and everything else you need to know, check out our Tablet Rental Page.
To mail or email an inmate in Wood County follow these steps:
When mailing a letter or postcard to an inmate, please follow these instructions:
Emailing Messages & Photos
Facility_name_1} contracts with GTL GettingOut, the same service that handles iInmate Phone Systems and Video Visitation, for sending secure messages and photos between you and your inmate.
If you are not already registered, do so here, or Log in.
Then use the Facility Finder to:
1. Select Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail,
2. Add your inmate to your list of contacts,
3. Add a credit or debit card to cover your costs.
Customer Service Questions
'Online' Contact Form, or
Call 866-516-0115
Go here to this FAQ to get answers to how the transition to ViaPath from GTL and gettingout will affect your account.
All the information you need to understand mail and email policies for Wood County can be found on our Inmate Mail Page and our Text/Email an Inmate Page.