JPay is a software company which is focused on building and delivering innovative inmate service applications. These applications are a separate category of products that traditional correctional companies can only try to deliver. Turnkey kiosk applications of JPay designed, developed and maintained in house, include digital music delivery, internet video visitation, inmate email, inmate banking, commissary ordering and other various custom applications requested over time by their correctional partners. Each application is available on the inmate kiosk that can be found in every housing unit, eliminating the need to move inmates and increasing inmate adoption exponentially.
In JPay, there is also inmates commissary. The ordering system of JPay’s commissary permits inmates to browse and order commissary items by using a shopping cart mechanism. The system is another application that resides on the inmate kiosk. If an interface is developed with the provider of commissary, JPay is able to get real time inventory, pictures, pricing, fulfillment and shipment information and also ordering deadlines.
There is also information which is up to date on commissary items and it can be viewed on the kiosk including code, item ID, category, price, description and picture as well. If the inmate wants to order, they have to place the order by using a shopping cart application. It is important to know that all information on an item received from DOC’s existing commissary system is displayed to the inmate. It serves as an excellent reintegration tool as it teaches the inmate how to browse and complete the purchase. If the order is submitted, it will be queued with all pending orders on the Jpay server. The inmate is able to update or even modify the order at any time until the cutoff time for submitting orders. If the orders are submitted, they will be batch processed and then sent to fulfillment.
A file with all orders will be sent to the commissary vendor for fulfillment. The content of the file consists of inmate information including name, ID and facility, bed assignment and also housing location. Besides, it also contains the date of the order, the order number and the items in the order. If the order is filled, notifications are able to be sent to the inmates. The users of DOC are able to manage and also control inventory from the Facility System. When items are out of stock or replenished or if there is a price change or recall, the system will update the database automatically. The system also permits DOC staff to limit items based on facility or agency restrictions. For example, if an inmate is diabetic, he or she will be unable to order a candy bar without approval.
To be able to order commissary, inmates surely need money. The money can come from the job that they do when they are in jail or being transferred by their family or friends. If you want to send them money through JPay, there are 5 methods that you can do including MoneyGram, online payments, via phone, via lobby kiosk or money order.
