JailATM is an online service which offers people to send money to inmates. Not only sending money, people also can do a video visitation, send sms or send email to their inmates. If you just have a plan to use this service, you may wonder how JailATM works so that you are able to read about it below.
How Do Sending and Receiving Messages Work?
According to the website of deposits.jailatm.com, here is the explanation about how sending and receiving messages in JailATM work.
- Sending Messages via Text
You are able to send text messages to a corrections facility resident after you sign up for the SMS Texting Program. It can be done from the cell phone which is associated with the mobile number that you provided when you signed up. Besides, you are also able to receive messages from the resident on the same cell phone. If you send text messages to the resident from any other device or phone number, it will be considered invalid and it will not be delivered. - Seeing Texts and Sending Replies
It is important for you to note that every text message which is sent to the facility resident is changed to an email before it is delivered. The resident will be able to see your text message like they would see an email, for example in a kiosk within the housing unit. However, they will be informed that the message came in as a text. The reply from the resident is changed back to a text message after it is sent and it is delivered to your cell phone. - Sending and Receiving Emails
It is important for you to know that if you have signed up for the SMS Texting Program, all of the emails of the resident and other electronic messages are sent to your cell phone as a text message. It means that you will not receive emails from the resident anymore. You are still able to send an email to the resident after you sign up for the SMS Texting Program. However, you need to note that the reply from the resident will come back to you as a text message. You are able to access your messaging account on the JailATM website if you want to see a full record of all electronic messages which are sent and received.
You may also wonder whether there is a limitation about the length of the text. Well, character limits apply to all text messages and it may affect the length of text that you want to send or receive. If your message is long, it can be rejected or can be broken up into smaller texts before delivery at JailATMs’s sole discretion. Alternatively, you may be directed to read a text message through your account on the JailATM website as if it were an email. It is also important for you to note that character limits may change at any time with or without notice.
How about facility rules and regulations? Those apply. As explained on JailATM site, sms text messaging is subject to the applicable corrections facility’s rules and regulations at all times. Let’s say that there is a conflict between the SMS Texting Program Rules and Restrictions and the facility’s rules or regulations. If so, the rules and regulations of the facility will apply.
About Fee and Payment
There is a fee for using a messaging service in JailATM. Every time you send to or receive a text message from a facility resident after you sign up for the SMS Texting Program, the fee applies. How much does it cost? The fee varies by facility. You will have to pay for the current, applicable per-message fee when you sign up for the SMS Texting Program.
The fee of the messaging service may change at any time and you are able to check the current applicable fee on the JailATM website. Besides, Tech Friends will also try to inform you via text of any change to the Messaging Service fee after you sign up for the SMS Texting Program.
How to Make a Deposit in JailATM
Here are the steps that you are able to follow if you want to make a deposit in JailATM.
- First, signing in is a must.
- After signing in, then you have to choose Send Money Now.
- Then, you have to choose the appropriate state and facility.
- And then, you have to enter at least 3 characters of the resident’s last name or their ID.
- Now, you have to enter your payment information and amount of the deposit. Then, you have to click on the check box after you read the terms and conditions and then hit OK.
- Now, you are able to review the payment details and then click on the Send Money button.
You may wonder whether there is a limit for depositing money. Well, they limit any one resident a maximum of $300.00 a week. However, you also have to note that this deposit limit may vary by facility.
How to Send a Message
- The first step that you must take is to sign in.
- Then, you must click on the My Account.
- After that, you must click on the Messaging.
- And then, you must click on the Send Message.
- Here, you have to choose the State and Facility and enter the last name or ID of the recipient. Note that only facilities and states that support this feature will have this option.
- And now, you must click Search.
- Then, you have to click on the recipient from the list which appears.
- Then, you have to type or paste the message that you want to send.
- At last, you must click on the Send button.
How to Schedule a Video Call
- First, you have to sign in.
- After signing in, click Calling and then click on the Schedule a Call.
- Now, you have to choose the State and Facility and then enter the last name or ID of the resident.
- Now, you have to click on Search.
- And you have to click on the resident that you want to schedule a call to.
- You have to choose In Facility to be able to schedule a call that will take place at the facility. Or, you can choose Out of Facility if you want to schedule a call that you will connect to from your computer.
- Then, you have to choose Date and Time for the scheduled call.
- Let’s say that your JailATM account does not have enough funds to schedule the call. If so, you will be prompted to choose or enter a payment method.
