St. Tammany Parish Jail Inmate Commissary

St. Tammany Parish Jail

Address:
1200 Champagne Street
Covington, LA 70433

Phone:

985-276-1000

St. Tammany Parish Jail Commissary Carepacks

St. Tammany Parish Jail contracts with Access Securepak (aka MyCarePak) for families to send pre-determined packages of commissary items to your inmate.

Access Securepak carries over 1,000 different items in the following categories:
- Food and Snacks
- Personal Hygiene Products
- Electronics
- Apparel

Registration Process:
1. Register here.
2. Select Louisiana.
3. Select St. Tammany Parish Jail.
4. Find your Inmate.
5. Deposit Funds.
6. Order Commissary Items.
Once you are logged in, you will receive instructions on how much (and what products) you can send your inmate.
Contact Information:
* If you have any questions, you can call Access Securepak at 800-546-6283.
* You can email My Care Pack at [email protected].
* You can write them at:
    Access Securepak
    10880 Linpage Place
    St. Louis, MO 63132

* You can Live Chat with a Representative online: (bottom left corner of page)
   Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.–11 p.m. CST, 
   and Saturdays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. CST.

*Note* Access Securepak will issue a refund for or replace broken, damaged, or missing products reported by St. Tammany Parish Jail staff. They will not honor reports of discrepancies from inmate's families or friends.
My CarePack is the St. Tammany Parish Jail's outside vendor for Commissary Items. They have a very good mix of Chips, Snacks, Candy, Meat, Seafood, Hygiene products, Letter writing materials, Electronics and Apparel items for sale on their website.


*NOTE* -- Once you are fully registered and have selected the inmate you wish to send commissary to, you will receive instructions on how much you can deposit, how much (and what) you can purchase for your inmate, and how often you can send commissary.

Commissary Deposits using Touch Pay

Options for putting money on an inmate's books in St. Tammany Parish Jail:

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
St. Tammany Parish Jail 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 St. Tammany Parish Jail at 985-276-1000 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 985-276-1000 to get the Facility Locator Number.

Can Inmates at the St. Tammany Parish Jail Get Hot Takeout Food Delivered?

St. Tammany Parish Jail may offer hot 'take-out' style food for their inmates using the Access Securepak website. This food needs to be ordered online, or by phone by calling 800-546-6283, by you.
This program is not available in all facilities that use Access Securepak, but is rolling out in new facilities daily... check their website to see if it's available in St. Tammany Parish Jail today.


Some of the food offered includes pizza, hamburgers, cicken sandwiches, donuts and french fries. 

What is an Inmate Commissary?

Commissary, also known as Canteen, is the ‘store’ within a jail or prison where inmates can purchase items that they want or need to make their stay in jail or prison less of a burden.

Snacks and comfort foods, branded hygiene products they are used to, sneakers and t-shirts, prayer blankets, radios, headphones, television sets, tablets, stationary products and art supplies; depending on the facility, there are thousands of products to choose from.

Some jail and prison systems run their own commissary store, others contract out to companies that serve dozens or hundreds of jails, where inmates and/or their friends and families can purchase products through a website from home, or a kiosk or tablet within their facility.

What items can inmates purchase in jail and prison?

Food
•    Cookies
•    Pastries
•    Candy
•    Tuna and mackerel
•    Coffee and Tea
•    Soft drinks
•    Energy drinks
•    Pizza
•    Hamburgers
•    Chicken fingers
•    Spices

Hygiene
•    Shampoo
•    Soap
•    Shaving supplies
•    Lotions
•    Deodorant
•    Oral care
•    Toilet paper
•    Nail care

Clothing
•    Sweats
•    Sneakers
•    Shorts
•    Underwear and bras
•    Socks
•    Jackets
•    Hats

Electronics
•    Televisions
•    Radios
•    Headphones
•    Tablets
•    Watches

Miscellaneous
•    Playing cards
•    Games
•    Bibles
•    Books
•    Art supplies
•    Stationery supplies
•    Vaping products (only some states)
•    Greeting cards

How much money can an inmate spend on commissary each month?

Generally, the maximum spend in jail is about $300 per month. Prisons allow a bit more as it is more of a permanent home, whereby jail is temporary. To find out how much an inmate in the St. Tammany Parish Jail can spend each month, call 985-276-1000.

How often can inmates purchase commissary?

Some jails it's twice a week, others once a week or every other week. A lot of the online stores care pack companies are once a month. To find out the exact schedule for St. Tammany Parish Jail, call 985-276-1000.

How can a friend or family member deposit money for an inmate in jail or prison?

St. Tammany Parish Jail has its own methods for receiving money for inmates, and that information can be found above or by calling 985-276-1000 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 St. Tammany Parish Jail, 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 985-276-1000.

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 St. Tammany Parish Jail contracts with for inmate deposits, call them at 985-276-1000.

How expensive are items on commissary?

Items on commissary are no more expensive than they would be at a local Walmart store.

What is a Commissary deposit?

A commissary deposit is the money that a person on the outside deposits in an inmate’s trust account, so they can have money to spend on commissary and communication services.

How much money can inmate have in his commissary account?

The limit that an inmate can have in their commissary account is usually about $300.00. To find out what the limit is for St. Tammany Parish Jail, call 985-276-1000.

Can I send an inmate a package or care pack??

Many jails contract with companies that send food, hygiene products and/or clothing to inmates. These can be purchased and sent by friends and family on a weekly or monthly basis.

You can only send items from the one that your jail has a contract with. 

An inmate carepack is a pack of snacks and/or hygiene products that friends or family members of an inmate can purchase online and have shipped to an inmate. The carepack company needs to have a contract with the facility before it can be shipped to the inmate.

Check this page, the Money Page or the Commissary Page for further information, or call the jail at 985-276-1000 to see which one that the St. Tammany Parish Jail works with.

Here are the commissary package companies, in alphabetical order, that provide this service to jails in the United States:

Access Securepak
Care A Cell
Commissary order
Correct Pay
Express Account
icare
Inmate Canteen
Jail ATM
Jail Pack Store (McDaniel Supply)
My Care Pack
Oasis (jailcanteen)
Prodigy Solutions
Tiger
Union Supply Direct

Can an inmate buy gifts on commissary?

Not really. Other than the basic supplies mentioned above there are no gifts other than greeting cards that they can fill out and mail to a friend, family or loved one.

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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Frequently Asked Questions

Does the St. Tammany Parish Jail allow packages to be shipped to an inmate?
Yes. The St. Tammany Parish Jail uses an online service called Access Securepak in which friends and family members can order everything from snacks, candy and hot food to clothes, stationary and electronics, and have them shipped directly to any inmate. The prices are reasonable and ordering is easy. Learn more about ordering Access Securepak packages online for an inmate in the St. Tammany Parish Jail. If you want to order by phone call 800-546-6283.

What kind of things can an inmate in the St. Tammany Parish Jail buy in commissary?
The St. Tammany Parish Jail allows a wide variety of food, snack foods, candy, clothing, electronics and other items to be purchased by inmates either through their commissary or by friends and family members sending in care packages from a third-party vendor called Access Securepak. All of the snacks and candy are brand name items that they are used to purchasing on the outside. Learn more about ordering Access Securepak packages online for an inmate in the St. Tammany Parish Jail. If you want to order by phone call 800-546-6283.

Why do inmates in the St. Tammany Parish Jail need commissary?
Inmates in the St. Tammany Parish Jail do not necessarily need commissary, as the jail provides the with the minimum food and hygiene products they need to subsist. But jail is a very stressful place, and by having a daily snack, or using a soap, shampoo or toothpaste that are used to using on the outside can bring a certain amount of normalcy and comfort to their life inside. Learn more about ordering Access Securepak packages online for an inmate in the St. Tammany Parish Jail. If you want to order by phone call 800-546-6283.

Are commissary items used for gambling in the St. Tammany Parish Jail?
Yes. Because inmates do not have access to actual cash money in the St. Tammany Parish Jail, snacks, candy, brand name hygiene products and other sundries inmates can get from commissary and care packages you ship to them are used as currency, thus for gambling. In addition to gambling, commissary items can be used to purchase services such as haircuts, tattoos and cell cleaning. Unfortunately, in many cases, commissary items are also used to purchase protection from other inmates who wish them harm. If your inmate is needing more than $10 a day for commissary, they are getting pretty fat or are using the items they purchase for gambling purposes or personal protection. Learn more about inmate commissary in the St. Tammany Parish Jail.

How much money should you send an inmate in St. Tammany Parish Jail for commissary?
A reasonable amount of commissary money you should send your inmate is whatever your budget allows. While jail is stressful for an inmate, it is just as stressful for their family members or loved ones on the outside. You are the one that still has bills to pay; rent, utilities, food, phone, children's needs, gas, car payments and all the other stresses of life. As hard as the pressure you are getting to send money, your needs and the children's come first. St. Tammany Parish Jail limits the inmates to receiving no more than $300-400 per month in commissary money and/or care packages, not including phone expenses, but realistically an inmate can get by on less than $100 per month of products and be comfortable. Learn more about inmate commissary in the St. Tammany Parish Jail.

I didn't get the items from Access Securepak that I ordered. Can I get a refund?
Access Securepak will issue a refund for or replace broken, damaged, or missing products reported by St. Tammany Parish Jail staff. They will not take your word for missing or broken items. You must get the jail staff to report it if you want a refund. Learn more about refunds from Access Securepak in the St. Tammany Parish Jail. Call the jail at 985-276-1000 or if you want to discuss a problem call 800-546-6283.