Address:
333 South Franklin Street
Decatur, IL 62523
Phone:
217-424-1341
JailATM – Send Money, Email Inmate, Video Call, Send Gift Packs to Macon County Jail
Search for JailATM services for Macon County Jail.
Make an inmate deposit with JailATM for Macon County Jail.
Note: While JailATM offers the following inmate services, Macon County Jail may not allow all of them. Check on the JailATM website to confirm. Services available through JailATM are subject to change with no notice.
Send Money
Macon County Jail has an agreement with JailATM so that you can deposit money online or using the kiosk in the jail lobby.
Send Gift Packs
Macon County Jail has an agreement with JailATM, which ships predetermined Gift Packs of candy, snacks and hygiene products to the inmate. Check the JailATM website to see if they allow Gift Packs.
These can be ordered by you online and are delivered directly to the inmate.
Email Inmate
Macon County Jail has an agreement with JailATM which handles secure messaging between you and your inmate. Check the JailATM website to see if this jail allows emailing your inmate.
Video Calls
Macon County Jail has an agreement with JailATM which facilitates video visitation between you and your inmate. Check the JailATM website to see if this jail has online, or 'at jail' video visitation.
Search for JailATM services for Macon County Jail.
Make an inmate deposit with JailATM for Macon County Jail.
Note: While JailATM offers the following inmate services, Macon County Jail may not allow all of them. Check on the JailATM website to confirm. Services available through JailATM are subject to change with no notice.
Send Money
Macon County Jail has an agreement with JailATM so that you can deposit money online or using the kiosk in the jail lobby.
Send Gift Packs
Macon County Jail has an agreement with JailATM, which ships predetermined Gift Packs of candy, snacks and hygiene products to the inmate. Check the JailATM website to see if they allow Gift Packs.
These can be ordered by you online and are delivered directly to the inmate.
Macon County Jail has its own methods for receiving money for inmates, and that information can be found above or by calling 217-424-1341 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 Macon County 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 217-424-1341.
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 Macon County Jail contracts with for inmate deposits, call them at 217-424-1341.
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. Macon County 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. Macon County 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. Macon County 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 Macon County 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 Macon County Jail allows, call the jail at 217-424-1341.
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 Macon County 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
HOW TO PUT MONEY ON AN INMATE ACCOUNT IN THE Macon County Jail
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 Jail ATM self-serve kiosk in the lobbies that accepts cash, debit or credit cards.
Option 2 - Deposit Inmate Money Online
Macon County Jail uses Jail ATM 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. Call the Macon County Jail first as they may want you to do this online or at the jail kiosk instead.
Make the Money Order out to the inmate's name and put their Inmate ID# in memo section of the Money Order.
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
Macon County Jail
333 South Franklin Street
Decatur, IL 62523
(Money orders need to be made out to the specific inmate and mailed to same address but specify: 'Inmate Trust Account')
Option 4 - Make an Inmate Deposit with Jail ATM over the Phone by calling 877-810-0914
To do this you will need the inmate's offender # (inmate ID #) and full legal name.
Sending Commissary Care Packs to an inmate in Macon County Jail
Search for JailATM services for Macon County Jail.
Make an inmate deposit with JailATM for Macon County Jail.
Note: While JailATM offers the following inmate services, Macon County Jail may not allow all of them. Check on the JailATM website to confirm. Services available through JailATM are subject to change with no notice.
Send Money
Macon County Jail has an agreement with JailATM so that you can deposit money online or using the kiosk in the jail lobby.
Send Gift Packs
Macon County Jail has an agreement with JailATM, which ships predetermined Gift Packs of candy, snacks and hygiene products to the inmate. Check the JailATM website to see if they allow Gift Packs.
These can be ordered by you online and are delivered directly to the inmate.
What can you purchase for your inmate at Macon County Jail
COFFEE BREAK
This Pack Contains: 2 Colombian Coffee, Capaccino Vanilla 3 PK Sweetener, Creamer Packs, Hot Chocolate 2 PK, Dunkin Sticks Box Toaster Pastry Box, Nutrigrain Bar.
FIERY HOT
This Pack Contains: Hot Fries, JP Cheetos, Flaming Peanuts, JP Pretzel Pieces, Hot Pork Skins, Spicy Salsa Rounds, JP Cheddar Crackers, 3 JP Cheese Squeezers, Hot & Spicy Sausage, Pepper Jack Cheese, Snack Crackers, Fireballs, Ranch Dressing.
NOODLE PACK
This pack contains: 4 Chili Ramen, 4 Cajun Chicken Ramen, 4 Picante Beef Ramen, 4 Chicken Ramen, 4 Beef Ramen, 4 Shrimp Ramen, Snack Crackers, Beef and Cheese Sticks 2PK, Gold n Chees 3PK.
SIMPLY BASICS
This Pack Contains: 4 oz Shampoo, 4 oz Conditioner, Dial Soap, Colgate Toothpaste, 4 oz Body Lotion, Deodorant Stick, 4 Stamped Postcards.
SWEET AND SALTY
This Pack Contains: Sweet & Salty Trail Mix, Popcorn, Pretzels, Sunflower Kernels, Lays Chips, Gold n Chee Honey Roasted Peanuts, Crunch Munch, Honeybun, Blueberry Blaster, Peppermint, Jolly Rancher, Snickers, Three Musketeers.
SWEET TOOTH
This Pack Contains: Kit Kat, M&M Plain, Snickers, Three Musketeers, Butterfinger, Peanut Butter Cups, Iced Honeybun, Caco Choc Cookies, Nutty Bar, Box Peppermints, Butterscotch, Chic O Stix.
THE MONSTER
This Pack Contains: 3 Postcards, Writing Pad, Crossword Puzzle, Cinnamon Roll, Iced Honey Bun, Swiss Roll, Box Butterfinger, Cookies, Sour Cream and Cheddar Chips, Doritos, Honey Mustard Pretzels, M&M, Peanut Butter Cups, Sour Fruit Balls, Trail Mix, Snack Cracker Box, Cheese Squeezer, P'nut Butter Squeezer, Jelly Squeezer, Beef Sticks, Orange Drink Mix 6pk.
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 Macon County Jail?
Since inmates are not allowed to possess cash money while in custody in the Macon County 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 Macon County Jail at 217-424-1341 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 Macon County 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.
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 Macon County 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
Macon County Jail Illinois (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. Macon County 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
Macon County Jail Illinois (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.
For inmates receiving mail in the Macon County Jail there are different addresses and policies depending on the inmate's status, as well as what type of mail they are receiving; personal mail, legal mail, subscriptions or books sent from a third-party such as Amazon.
All mail is to be shipped to the Macon County Jail:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
Macon County Jail - IL
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
For complete information on mail policies, what you can send an inmate and what address to send them, check out our Inmate Mail page.
The tablets can be rented on a monthly basis and while not directly connected to the internet, the inmates can use them for phone, visits, messages, education, self-help and entertainment.
Questions:
To learn more about Homewav tablets, the dozens of features, cost and how to get one delivered to your inmate, check out our Inmate Tablet page.
To visit or email an inmate in Macon County follow these steps:
Who do you contact if you are having any problems arranging the remote video visit, phoning or emailing of an inmate in Macon County?
Call HomeWav support at 314-764-2872, or toll free 844-394-6639.
Monday – Friday
9:00AM to 6:00PM EST
Saturday – Sunday
8:00AM to 6:00PM EST
NOTE: All communications between you and your inmate at Macon County Jail will be recorded and stored. Do not discuss your inmate's case or other sensitive information as it can be used against them (or you) in court.
For full instructions on all the benefits of using Homewav to visit a Macon County inmate, visiting an inmate at the jail itself, email and texting an inmate, rates, policies, rules, dress codes, bringing children, attorney and clergy visits and more, go to our official Visit Inmate Page.
To receive phone calls from inmates in Macon County, or to assist them in making phone calls to other people, follow these steps:
For all the information regarding phone calls with Macon County inmates; rules, policies, phone calling times, video, messaging, time limits and more, visit our Inmate Phone Page.
To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Macon County Jail follow these steps:
For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages or sending money to an inmate in Macon County Jail check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Macon County.
To deposit money online for an inmate in Macon County Jail follow these steps:
For all information, tips and procedures for sending money to an inmate in Macon County Jail, or depositing money at the jail, over the phone or by mail, check out our Send Money Page for Macon County.