San Bernardino Central Detention Center Sending Money

San Bernardino Central Detention Center

Address:
630 East Rialto Avenue
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0025

Phone:

909-386-0969

How to put Money on an Inmate's Commissary Account in the San Bernardino Central Detention Center

Options for putting money on an inmate's books in San Bernardino Central Detention Center:

Option 1 - Dropping Money at the Jail
Bring money to the jail in person. 
You will use a Touchpay self-serve kiosk in the lobbies that accepts cash, debit or credit cards.


Option 2 - Deposit Inmate Money Online
San Bernardino Central Detention Center uses Touchpay to process all online deposits to an inmate's account. The company charges you a small fee for doing so, but the fee probably isn't as much as gas and parking would cost to take it to the jail in person.


Option 3 - Mail the Inmate Deposit to the Jail 
Mailing a deposit takes more time to process than the other methods but can be done if you live too far away to bring it in person and you don't have a debit/credit card for online deposits. Never send cash. Always send a Money Order from the US Post Office, a reputable bank or Western Union. 

NOTE: Call the San Bernardino Central Detention Center at 909-386-0969 to see if they are still allowing money orders to be mailed.

Option 4 - Make an Inmate Deposit over the Phone by calling Touchpay at 866-232-1899.
To do this you will need the inmate's offender # (inmate ID #), full legal name, and Facility Locator Number. Call 909-386-0969 to get the Facility Locator Number.

Depositing Money in an Inmate's Commissary Account at San Bernardino Central Detention Center

Whatever cash the inmate has on their person when booked into the facility will automatically deposited and credited to their commissry account. When they are released released any money left in the account will be returned to them in the form of a check from the Sheriff's Department or the San Bernardino Central Detention Center Trust Account.

Option 1 - Dropping Money at the Jail
Bring money to the jail in person. Make sure you have the inmate's booking number.
Either the jail personnel will process the Inmate Account payment or you will use a self-serve kiosk in the lobbies that accepts cash, debit or credit cards.


Option 2 - Mail the Inmate Deposit to the Jail
Mailing a deposit takes more time to process than the other methods but can be done if you live too far away to bring it in person.
Never send cash. Always send a Money Order from the US Post Office or Western Union. These are the only two money orders allowed. All others will be returned to you.
Make the Money Order out to the inmate's name and put their Inmate ID# in memo section of the Money Order. Make sure you use the inmate's booking number.
Mail to the San Bernardino Central Detention Center:
Inmate's Name and Booking Number
San Bernardino Central Detention Center
630 East Rialto Avenue
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0025

Failure to do this properly will delay your inmate getting his commissary account credited and may require you to have to resubmit a second money order.
Call 909-386-0969 to ask any questions about this.

How do I send an inmate money?

San Bernardino Central Detention Center has its own methods for receiving money for inmates, and that information can be found above or by calling 909-386-0969 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 San Bernardino Central Detention Center, this information will be outlined above.

Who are the companies that jails use to send money to inmates?

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

How do I send an inmate money by mail?

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 909-386-0969.

Can I send an inmate money online?

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 San Bernardino Central Detention Center contracts with for inmate deposits, call them at 909-386-0969.

How do I send money to someone in the United States Bureau of Prisons?

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:

  • Moneygram
  • Western Union Online Deposits
  • United States Postal Service - Mailing a Payment

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.  San Bernardino Central Detention Center 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.


Sending a Moneygram 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.


Sending a Moneygram from a Location

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.  San Bernardino Central Detention Center 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.

Sending a Western Union payment 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

  • Type in and select FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISON, then follow Western Union's instructions.
  • For questions, concerns or to add funds via Western Union over the phone, call 800-325-6000.

 

Sending a Western Union payment from a location

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.  San Bernardino Central Detention Center 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 San Bernardino Central Detention Center will only accept:

  • US Postal Money Orders

**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

What are inmate funds?

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’.

How much money can an inmate have?

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 San Bernardino Central Detention Center allows, call the jail at 909-386-0969.

How much money can I send an inmate at one time?

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.

Is it illegal for an inmate to have cash?

It is not illegal for an inmate to have cash, but it is considered contraband and will be confiscated by the San Bernardino Central Detention Center 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.

If an inmate can’t have cash in jail or prison, how do they purchase contraband or gamble?

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.

What are things prisoners use or trade in lieu of cash?

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.).

What kind of food can an inmate purchase on Commissary?

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. 

What items can inmates purchase in jail and prison? 

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

How to Put Money on an Inmate Account in the San Bernardino Central Detention Center

There are usually four options for putting money on an inmate's books:
Option 1 - Dropping Money at the Jail
Bring money to the jail in person. 
Either the jail personnel will process the Inmate Account payment or you will use a self-serve kiosk in the lobbies that accepts cash, debit or credit cards.
Option 2 - Deposit Inmate Money Online
San Bernardino Central Detention Center and others often use a private company to process all online deposits to an inmate's account. The company charges you a small fee for doing so, but the fee probably isn't as much as gas and parking would cost to take it to the jail in person.
Option 3 - Mail the Inmate Deposit to the Jail
Mailing a deposit takes more time to process than the other methods but can be done if you live too far away to bring it in person and you don't have a debit/credit card for online deposits. Never send cash. Always send a Money Order from the US Post Office, a reputable bank or Western Union.
Make the Money Order out to the inmate's name and put their Inmate ID# in memo section of the Money Order.
Call San Bernardino Central Detention Center at 909-386-0969 to confirm the address to send the money order to and how they want it made out.
Failure to do this properly will delay your inmate getting his account credited and may require you to have to resubmit a second money order.
Call 909-386-0969 to ask facility personnel who to make the money order out to, and where to send it.
Option 4 - Make an Inmate Deposit over the Phone
Most of the online companies that provide deposit services will accept deposits over the phone with a debit or credit card.
To do this you will need the inmate's offender # (inmate ID #) and full legal name.

San Bernardino Central Detention Center Commissary Instructions

San Bernardino Central Detention Center allows pre-determined commissary packs to be purchased by friends and family of inmates.  

The service they use is called icaregifts.

Instructions

1.    Register here.
2.    Click the "Find an Inmate" button and enter your loved one’s first name, last name, or inmate number. When the information is entered correctly, click the “Search” button to confirm they are in the system.
3.    Select the icare gift you want to send them.
4.    Confirm the order in your confirmation email.
5.    San Bernardino Central Detention Center has up to 30 days to give your icaregift pack to your inmate.
6.    You will receive a confirmation email when it is delivered.

There are a total of fourteen (14) pre-determined icaregift packs available to choose from. 

They range in price from $10.49 for ten pre-stamped envelopes, 2 pens and a pad of writing paper…

… to $104.99 for a box of 85 snack and food items…

… with many gift packs priced in between.

Resources
Frequently Asked Questions (you must have an inmate chosen in order to review these FAQs for San Bernardino Central Detention Center

Contact Info:
888-439-5020 - 8AM–9PM ET, 7 days a week.

What is the Maximum Amount I can Deposit in an Inmate's Account?

You can deposit up to $300 to an inmate’s account. There is no limit to how much an inmate can have in their account, however they can only spend $100 per week on commissary items.

  •  online,
  • by mail,
  • or by bringing it to the jail

Inmate's Name and Booking Number
San Bernardino Central Detention Center
630 East Rialto Avenue
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0025

What Can You Purchase for an Inmate's Commissary at San Bernardino Central Detention Center

icaregifts is the San Bernardino Central Detention Center's outside vendor for Commissary Items. They have a very good mix of Chips, Snacks, Candy, Meat, Seafood, Hygeine products, and Letter writing materials for sale on their website.

Who can Purchase Commissary for San Bernardino Central Detention Center Inmates?

Anybody can purchase commissary for your inmate as long as there is not a 'no-contact order' in place, as this might get them in further trouble.

Because of the ability for family members and friends to purchase commissary online from icaregifts using a Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card, you and your inmate have more options.

Why Do Inmates in San Bernardino Central Detention Center need Commissary?

Since inmates are not allowed to possess cash money while in custody, the San Bernardino Central Detention Center allows the inmate's family and/or friends to purchase products online from icaregifts.

This allows them to obtain items such as personal hygiene products, snacks, apparel, electronics and stationery supplies. Otherwise they go without, and you don't want them to be obligated to others for their basic needs.

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.

This facility charges $3.00 to the inmate account for each non-emergency medical visit. If the inmate does not have money in the account, a balance will be tracked and deducted when money is deposited to the account.

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 San Bernardino Central Detention Center at 909-386-0969 will let you know how much is deducted from the books for each fee related to medical issues or other jail expenses.

Online you can find the medical fee information by going here, Other San Bernardino Central Detention Center fees can be determined by going here or calling 909-386-0969.

Important Tips and Information About Your Inmate's Commissary

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 San Bernardino Central Detention Center and ask to investigate. If an inmate is being targeted, they 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.

Click here to purchase commissary online for your inmate at San Bernardino Central Detention Center.

How does an Inmate at San Bernardino Central Detention Center Make Phone Calls?

Inmates at San Bernardino Central Detention Center are allowed to make collect calls or direct calls paid for with prepaid phone cards they can purchase from commissary. The typical cost for a direct call using a phone card is approximately $0.21 per minute.

Family and friends cannot call an inmate, leave messages, send a text, send an email, or leave a voicemail.  The only way you are going to communicate with an inmate is either by them calling you, or you visiting them. If they have cash on them when they are arrested it will be credited to their commissary account.

You can deposit money for the inmate to purchase phone cards in several ways. You must have the inmate's Booking Number to have any of these deposits credited to their account.

  • Depositing money only with Touchpay Deposit Services.
  • Depositing money at the the San Bernardino Central Detention Center Lobby Kiosk.  Visa, Mastercard and Cash only.
  • Bringing a money order to the the San Bernardino Central Detention Center. US Postal Service or Western Union money orders only.
  • Mailing a money order to the the San Bernardino Central Detention Center. US Postal Service or Western Union money orders only.
    Inmate's Name and Booking Number
    San Bernardino Central Detention Center
    630 East Rialto Avenue
    San Bernardino, CA 92415-0025

For complete information on communicating with an inmate using the phone, how much time they can spend on the phone, how much it costs, and more... check out our Inmate Phone page.


 

How, What and Where can you Mail Something to an Inmate in San Bernardino Central Detention Center?

Envelopes
The San Bernardino Central Detention Center allows regular envelopes to be mailed to inmates. You can send up to 10 photos at a time. There are a large number of restictions that are oulined on the Inmate Mail page. Read all these restrictions completely or it is likely your inmate will never receive your letter.

Envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address:
Inmate's Name and Booking Number
San Bernardino Central Detention Center
630 East Rialto Avenue
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0025


Newspapers, Magazines & Books
Local or national newspapers, news, special interest or sports magazines, and soft cover books may also be mailed to the inmate as long as they are mailed directly from the publisher or a third party service such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble.


All newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to:
Inmate's Name and Booking Number
San Bernardino Central Detention Center
630 East Rialto Avenue
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0025

Care Packages
You can only send a care package of commissary items from
icaregifts.

For complete mail policies of what is allowed and what is NOT allowed, pertaining to inmate mail, newspapers, magazines, books or anything else mailed or shipped to an inmate, check out out Inmate Mail Page. 


 

How to Deposit Money into an Inmate's Account in San Bernardino Central Detention Center

To deposit money into the account of an inmate in San Bernardino County, follow these instructions:

  • Create an account with Touchpay Services, a GTL company.
  • Select California.
  • Select San Bernardino Central Detention Center
  • Enter the Inmate ID of your inmate.  This can be found by calling 909-386-0969 or by looking up the inmate's name in the Inmate Search link.
  • Enter your billing information and send money.
  • You can also deposit cash using the kiosk at the San Bernardino Central Detention Center.  To do this you need the Inmate's ID Number and the Facility Locator Number for San Bernardino County.

For all the information you need regarding making an inmate deposit, what it costs, how much you can send, how long it takes for your inmate to receive funds and more, and to get the Facility Locator Number, check out our Send Money Page.


 

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in San Bernardino County

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in San Bernardino Central Detention Center follow these steps:

  • Register here to create an account with icaregifts for San Bernardino County.
  • Choose California, then San Bernardino Central Detention Center, and then the products you want shipped to them, and input your payment method. 
  • NOTE: There may be a limit on how much product you can send your inmate in San Bernardino County at any one time.
  • There are a total of fourteen (14) pre-determined icaregift packs available to choose from. 
  • The gift packs for inmates in San Bernardino County range in price from $10.49 for ten pre-stamped envelopes, 2 pens and a pad of writing paper, to $104.99 for a box of 85 snack and food items.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in San Bernardino Central Detention Center, as well as sending money to the inmate so that they can purchase their own items, check out our Commissary Instructions Page for San Bernardino County.


 

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