Stearns County Jail, MN Inmate Commissary, Care Packs

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Stearns County Jail

Address:
807 Courthouse Square
St. Cloud, MN 56302
Phone:
320-259-3760

Stearns County Jail uses Inmate Canteen for Commissary

Stearns County Jail uses the services of Inmate Canteen for Online Commissary Purchases for an Inmate.

NOTE: Stearns County Jail may only allow online deposits for local commissary purchasing.

For best results use google chrome as your browser for accessing Inmate Canteen.
Instructions on purchasing commissary items for an inmate:

Register or Log in to your account
Select the facility where the inmate is located and the inmate you wish to purchase commissary items for.
Select the "Purchase Items" option
Follow the prompts on screen to purchase items for an inmate.

Depositing Money in an Inmate's Commissary Account at Stearns County Jail

Whatever cash the inmate has on their person when booked into the facility will automatically deposited and credited to their account. When 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 Stearns County Jail Trust Account. There may be circumstances where the inmate can give permission to have his money released to a family member or friend.

Option 1 - Dropping Commissary Money at the Jail

Bring money to the jail in person.
You will use a self-serve kiosk in the lobby that accepts cash, debit or credit cards.

Option 2 - Mail the Inmate Commissary 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 or Cashier's Check from the US Post Office, a reputable bank or Western Union.
Make the Money Order out to the inmate and put their Inmate ID# in memo section of the Money Order.

Mail to:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
Stearns County Jail
PO Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

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 320-259-3760 to ask any questions about this.

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 Stearns County Jail can spend each month, call 320-259-3760.

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 Stearns County Jail, call 320-259-3760.

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

Stearns County Jail has its own methods for receiving money for inmates, and that information can be found above or by calling 320-259-3760 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 Stearns County 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 320-259-3760.

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 Stearns County Jail contracts with for inmate deposits, call them at 320-259-3760.

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 Stearns County Jail, call 320-259-3760.

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 320-259-3760 to see which one that the Stearns County 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.

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 Stearns 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
Stearns County Jail Minnesota (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.   Stearns County Jail mailroom prints approved pages and delivers them to the inmate.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

TextBehind does not deliver any mail to the inmate directly, nor do they guarantee delivery of your letters to the inmates by the courier, jail or prison staff. Once they process your mail and ship them out on your behalf, they are out of the loop entirely. However, at times they may offer to resend your letters under certain strict conditions as a courtesy.
Inmates do not receive any invites when you add them, and neither do they need to accept the use of TextBehind service. Once you add the inmate, you can create letters for them.

Here’s what happens when TextBehind receives a letter from an inmate:

Upon receiving, TextBehind staff open their letters, scan, and upload high-quality images to your TextBehind account as a complimentary service. You are not required to have any money or credits balance in your TextBehind account to receive inmate letters.
Next, you will receive a text and email alert to notify you of any new incoming reply letters. At that time, you can log into the TextBehind website or mobile app and view letters in your CONTACTS >> Click on Conversation Icon.

YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS...

Inmates do require a stamp to send out their letters to TextBehind using Postal Service.
The cash or credit balance from your TextBehind account will not be shared with inmates as a substitute for the stamps.
All letters printed and shipped by TextBehind nationwide to virtually any jail or prison facility are delivered to the jails/prisons by couriers such as the USPS or FedEx as their standard process.
After the shipments, TextBehind has no control over the process.
The delivery of your letters depends on couriers and prison staff taking necessary action on time.

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
Stearns County Jail Minnesota (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.

Stearns County Bail Bond Information

Because Stearns County and Minnesota can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Stearns County Jail at 320-259-3760, 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 Stearns County Jail or the Stearns County Court Clerk these specific questions:

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

Stearns County Jail Inmate Mail Guidelines

Postcards
The Stearns County 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 Stearns County 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#
Stearns County Jail
PO Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

Legal Mail

Send all legal Mail to this Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
Stearns County Jail
PO Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

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 Stearns County Jail allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as Amazon, Barnes & 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 Stearns County 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#
Stearns County Jail
PO Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

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

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Stearns County Jail follow these steps:

Register to create an account, or Log in to your account at Inmate Canteen if you already have one.
Select Minnesota, then Stearns County Jail, and then the inmate you wish to purchase commissary items for.
Select the "Purchase Commissary Items" option.
Follow the prompts on screen to purchase items for an inmate.
Maximum spend is $125.00.
NOTE: Stearns County Jail may at times only allow online deposits for your inmate to purchase their own commissary locally.

For all information, tips and to see the hundreds of available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Stearns County Jail, or to see how deposit money so that your inmate can purchase their own commissary, check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Stearns County.

How Do Inmates in Stearns County Jail Make Phone Calls?

To receive phone calls from inmates in Stearns County, or to assist them in making phone calls to other people, follow these steps:

Stearns County Jail uses the services of HOMEWAV.
Register with them online or call them at 844-394-6639.
Agents are available from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and speak both English & Spanish.
Services for Stearns County inmates and their families and friends include Collect Calling, PIN Debits or Purchasing Calling Cards.

For all the information regarding phone calls with Stearns County inmates; rules, policies, phone calling times, video, messaging, time limits and more, visit our Inmate Phone Page.

How to Visit or Email an Inmate in Stearns County Minnesota or visiting an inmate at the jail

To visit or email an inmate in Stearns County follow these steps:

In addition to visiting inmates at the jail, Stearns County Jail uses a video visitation service called HomeWav.
Register and Sign Up Here.
Complete all steps of the registration process to get full access to Stearns County Jail inmate communication services.
Add ‘Talk to me Funds’ to your account using your credit or debit card.
Then you just wait for your Stearns County inmate to communicate.
How do you add Funds to your account?
Once you are logged in, click “Add Talk to Me Funds".
Type in the amount of dollars you want to add to your account.
Click “Update”.
Choose a way to pay (Credit, debit, or prepaid card).

Who do you contact if you are having any problems arranging the remote video visit, phoning or emailing of an inmate in Stearns 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 Stearns 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 Stearns 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.