St. Tammany Parish Jail Emailing An Inmate

St. Tammany Parish Jail

Address:
1200 Champagne Street
Covington, LA 70433

Phone:

985-276-1000

Messaging and Email with an inmate at St. Tammany Parish Jail

Using Jail ATM Digital Messaging with an Inmate at St. Tammany Parish Jail - Sending and Receiving Messages.



How It Works:

Once you sign up with Jail ATM instant Messaging you can you can send texts from the cell phone associated with the mobile number you provided at sign-up, and receive text messages from the inmate on the same cell phone. You can only use the phone number you signed up with or it won't work.

Viewing Texts and Sending Replies:

Each text message sent to the inmate is converted to an email prior to delivery. The resident will view your text message just like he or she would view an email (for instance, on a kiosk within the housing unit); however, the resident will be alerted that the message came in as a text. The resident’s reply is converted back to a text message after sending, and delivered to your cell phone. Everything you send and receive will be viewed by the St. Tammany Parish Jail first.

Emails:

After you sign up for the SMS Texting Program, all of the inmate's emails and other electronic messages are delivered to your cell phone as a text message – you will no longer receive emails from the resident. You can still send an email to the resident after you sign up for the SMS Texting Program. However, the resident’s reply comes back to you as a text message. You can access your messaging account on the JailATM website to see a full record of all electronic messages sent and received.

Cost:

Once you sign up, the fees will be outlined and are subject to change, however St. Tammany Parish Jail typically charges $1.00 per text message sent and received.

Can inmates send and receive texts and emails?

Almost all jails and prisons have adopted a messaging system which allows inmates to communicate with their friends and family using an electronic messaging system. It’s neither email nor text, it’s something in between.

The inmate and their contacts do not use their regular email accounts or phone numbers, but account numbers that are set up with the company providing the service.
All communication goes through them. Think of them as a middleman.

Once a contact of the inmate is approved, like the approval process a visitor goes through, an account is set up, using a credit or debit card to fund the account. 

To start, the inmate’s contact can send a message that has a limit of so many characters, usually about one page of text. 

The message is then reviewed by a computer that scans the message for certain keywords or phrases that are not allowed, almost like a censoring service. If the machine scanner finds problems with the message it sends the message to the St. Tammany Parish Jail staff to review, and if they find no issues, will then forward it to the inmate’s account so that they can read it.

If there are problems with the message, it is possible the message will not be sent. The sender will be notified of the decision and will not get a refund.

Once the inmate receives the message, should the account holder have funded the account allowing replies, the inmate can respond with a similar length message.

How much does it cost for an inmate to use a text or email service?

The cost to use the electronic messaging service, which is like texting or emailing, costs between $0.50 and $1.00 per page; a page being about 500 characters.

Can inmates send and receive photos through their messaging system?

Photos can be sent by the inmate’s contact that is not incarcerated, but not by the inmate due to security concerns. There is an extra cost, usually about $0.50 for each photo attached. 

The photos must go through a security screening where nudity, violence and other things are checked before the photo can be delivered. If the photo is rejected, the sender will be notified, but no refund will be given.

The inmate does not have the ability to print out the photos that make it past the screening, but the photos will stay in their account so that they can view them at their leisure. 

Can I send an inmate a link to a video to watch?

No.  Because this is a closed system, the inmate has no access to the internet, thus the inmate will have no access to any links that you send them.

Can I send the inmate a video?

Yes, just as you can send text and photos, you can send a video message, or if not a message, then a video of your children or yourself. Every company has a limit on the length of the video, usually no more than one minute, and at a cost of approximately $2.00 to $3.00 per video.

The video will first be screened for any nudity, excessive vulgarity, violence, etc. If it is rejected on any of the grounds the sender will not be given a refund.

As with the policy of photos, the inmate cannot reciprocate. They cannot send videos of themselves or anything in jail.

What device does an inmate use for texting and emailing?

The jails that contract with the electronic messaging service is given a certain number of kiosks within each unit for inmate use. Inmates can log on as they might with a public computer terminal. 

In addition to the public terminal kiosks, inmates are given (or can rent) access to individual tablets like a bulky, almost indestructible ipad. These allow an inmate to use them to access your messages, photos and videos in a more private manner. 

Should the inmate damage the tablet, they will be responsible for replacing it. The money will be deducted from their commissary account.

What is the inmate text and email system in St. Tammany Parish Jail?

The electronic messaging system used by St. Tammany Parish Jail, if there is one, can be found at the top of this page. If there is no information about the ability to text or email with an inmate, it is possible that the facility has recently changed companies or does not have this service available. Call 985-276-1000 to confirm.

What are the companies that provide inmate electronic messaging services?

This is a list of all the companies in the United States that work with jails and prisons, providing text and email messaging between inmates and their friends and families:

Access Corrections
CIDNET
City Tele Coin
Correct Pay
Corrlinks
Ctel
Edevo
Express Account
Gettingout
GTL
Homewav
IC Solutions
Inmate Canteen
Inmate Sales
JailATM
J Pay
NCIC
Paytel
Pigeonly
Prodigy Sales
Reliance
Securus
Smart Communications
TBE
Visitel

How do I fund the inmate’s messaging system?

You fund the messaging service with credit and debit cards. All of them take Visa and MasterCard, most also take Discover, and just some take America Express.

How often can an inmate text and email?

There is no limit to the amount of texting and email that an inmate can have with their family and friends.

Can inmates’ text any time of the day or night?

If an inmate has their own tablet, then they can text any time of the day or night, however if the must use the wall mounted kiosk terminal in their unit, they are limited to using it only during the hours they are allowed off their bunks; usually 7:00AM to 10:00PM, excluding meals, head counts and shift changes.

Can inmates email other inmates in other jails or prisons?

No, inmates are not allowed to communicate with each other, nor with inmates in other institutions. There is always a way to get around it, for example if one of the inmates has access to a phone with an internet connection, but this would be the only way.

St. Tammany Parish Bail Bond Information

Because St. Tammany Parish and Louisiana can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the St. Tammany Parish Jail at 985-276-1000, 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 St. Tammany Parish Jail or the St. Tammany Parish Court Clerk these specific questions:

  1. Is the defendant eligible for bail or a bond?
  2. How much will the bail or bond be, and what are the additional fees?
  3. Where do I go to pay it?
  4. Are there any days or times of the day or night when I cannot post bail?
  5. What types of payment are allowed? Cash? Money order? Credit card? What types of credit cards? Property or other collateral? Surety bonds?
  6. Do I have to use a bail or bond agent?

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.


 

St. Tammany Parish Jail Inmate Mail Guidelines

Postcards
The St. Tammany Parish Jail allows inmates to receive pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office. They may also allow certain photo postcards as long as they have not been tampered with or contain images that may be considered to be obscene or violent in nature.

Envelopes
The St. Tammany Parish Jail also allows envelopes to be mailed to inmates.

Postcards and envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
JailATM-St. Tammany Parish Jail-Louisiana
2252 Tower Drive Suite 108-251
Monroe, La 71201



Legal Mail

Send all legal Mail to this Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
St. Tammany Parish Jail
Dorm #, Cell #
P.O. Box 3135
Covington, Louisiana 70434



Newspapers
Local or national newspapers may also be mailed to the inmate as long as they are mailed directly from the newspaper publisher.

Magazines
News, special interest or sports magazines may also be mailed to an inmate as long as they are shipped directly from the publisher. Any magazines that contain profanity, weapons, pornography or other content that is adult in nature will be confiscated by the jail staff and will NOT be delivered to the inmate.

Books
The St. Tammany Parish Jail allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as AmazonBarnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. You can order them directly from your computer and have them shipped to the inmate at the address below.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the St. Tammany Parish Jail standards will be disposed of. No more than three books may be shipped at any one time.
Hard cover books will not be accepted by the jail due to their potential to be used as a weapon.


All newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
St. Tammany Parish Jail
Dorm #, Cell #
P.O. Box 3135
Covington, Louisiana 70434


 

How to Deposit Money into an Inmate's Account in St. Tammany Parish Jail

To deposit money into the account of an inmate in St. Tammany Parish, follow these instructions:

  • Create an account with Touchpay Services, a GTL company.
  • Select Louisiana.
  • Select St. Tammany Parish Jail
  • Enter the Inmate ID of your inmate.  This can be found by calling 985-276-1000 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 St. Tammany Parish Jail.  To do this you need the Inmate's ID Number and the Facility Locator Number for St. Tammany Parish.

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 Email an Inmate at St. Tammany Parish Jail

Using Jail ATM Digital Messaging with an Inmate at St. Tammany Parish Jail - Sending and Receiving Messages.



How It Works:

Once you sign up with Jail ATM instant Messaging you can you can send texts from the cell phone associated with the mobile number you provided at sign-up, and receive text messages from the inmate on the same cell phone. You can only use the phone number you signed up with or it won't work.

To learn more about this email service, check out our full instructions, including fees at our emailing and texting page.


 

How to visit an inmate in St. Tammany Parish Louisiana using Remote Video Visitation 

To visit an inmate in St. Tammany Parish follow these steps:

  • In addition to visiting inmates at the jail, St. Tammany Parish Jail uses a video visitation service called JailATM.
  • In order to visit with your inmate online or at the St. Tammany Parish Jail Video Kiosk, you must first register with JailATM.
  • Once you register, choose the option for 'Video Calls' or Video Visits and you will be prompted for the information required, which will include copies of your state issued ID and more. 
  • Note: While JailATM also offers the following inmate services, St. Tammany Parish Jail may or may not allow all of them. Check on the JailATM website to confirm.
  • Services available through JailATM are subject to change with no notice.
    1.  You Can Send Money
         St. Tammany Parish Jail may have an agreement with JailATM so that you can deposit money online or using the kiosk in the St. Tammany Parish Jail lobby.
    2.  You Can Send Gift Packs
         St. Tammany Parish Jail may have an agreement with JailATM, which ships predetermined Gift Packs of candy, snacks and hygiene products to your inmate. Check the JailATM website to see if they allow these to be sent to your inmate.
    3.  You Can Email Inmate
         St. Tammany Parish Jail may have an agreement with JailATM which handles secure messaging between you and your inmate. Check the JailATM website to see if they allow emailing your inmate.
  • Customer Support: 877-810-0914.

For full instructions on all the benefits of using JailATM to visit a St. Tammany Parish inmate, visiting an inmate at the jail itself, rates, policies, rules, dress codes, bringing children, attorney and clergy visits and more, go to our official Visit Inmate Page. 


 

How Does an Inmate Make Phone Calls in St. Tammany Parish Jail?

To receive phone calls from an inmate in St. Tammany Parish follow these instructions:

St. Tammany Parish Jail uses the services of NCIC for inmate phone calling. It is called a ‘friends & family account”.

In order to receive phone calls from your inmate, you need to do the following:

  • Register here, or by phone 800-943-2189
  • Choose Louisiana.
  • Choose St. Tammany Parish Jail
  • Select your Inmate.
  • Enter the phone number your Inmate will be calling.
  • Fund your Account. ($10-$100 at a time)

NOTE:
1.   You cannot receive any calls to your phone number from your inmate until both you and your phone number are registered.
2.  When you do receive a call, the number you will view on your phone from the incoming call is: 800-943-2189.
3.  When allowed by St. Tammany Parish Jail, families can also leave secure voicemails for inmates to listen to.

Fees

  • Adding funds to your account - $3.00 
  • Cost of phone call of a Prepaid Collect Account - $0.21 per minute
  • Cost of an interstate (ex. Louisiana to a different state) phone call NOT Prepaid - $0.25 per minute
  • Cost of an intrastate (ex. Louisiana to Louisiana) phone call NOT Prepaid - $0.25 per minute
  • Cost if you set up your account (or fund it) by phone using a live agent, you will be charged a one-time fee of $5.95.

NCIC Customer Service
Phone - 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069
Email – [email protected]
Full list of participating jails.

For all the information regarding phone calls with St. Tammany Parish inmates; rules, policies, phone calling times, fees, limits and more visit our Inmate Phone Page.


 

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in St. Tammany Parish

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in St. Tammany Parish Jail follow these steps:

  • Select Louisiana, then select St. Tammany Parish Jail, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for St. Tammany Parish.
  • Choose the inmate and 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 St. Tammany Parish at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in St. Tammany Parish Jail check out our Commissary Instructions Page for St. Tammany Parish.


 

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