Services
JPay is one of the most convenient ways to send money, email, videograms or music to an inmate. Like most things in the prison system, it is not cheap but it is a convenient way to stay in touch. JPay is a private company operating is most states, includes Ohio. They have an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau and their website is VeriSign approved. Both ratings, while not a guarantee, do offer a high level of confidence in the company.
Money Transfer – The website says funds will be available “quickly”, sometimes within a day. Payment is made by credit card or they will accept money orders via their Lockbox service.
Email – JPay email allows you to send email to inmates. The exact service varies by facility as does the time it takes for delivery. Many places allow photo attachments. Again, depending upon the facilitiy, the inmate may even be able to reply. Like regular mail, the email message does require a “stamp” (they don’t do this for free!) but it is less expensive…and faster than sending snail-mail. The email service also supports sending a 30 second long videogram. As the name implies, this is a short (very short!) video! Think about what you want to say before you start the video recorder. It is the fastest 30 seconds of your life!
Video Visitation – This is a newer feature and not available at all facilities. With it, you and the inmate can be connected via live video feed for up to 30 minutes. The exact process does vary from facility to facility so check with them in advance. Like a face-to-face visit, the video visit must be scheduled during normal visitation times. This is a great service when distances to travel are prohibitive or costly. It is also great for the very young or the very old.
J4 Player – With the JP4, inmates can download and listen to music in the comfort of their living units, play games, and even read and draft emails! You can also send JPay Credits, which your loved one can use to buy songs to download to their JP4.
Parole & Probation – Staying current with court costs and fees is important since it may impacts the persons freedom and terms of release. The one-stop shop for probationers, parolees, and anyone else making community correction payments. Get peace of mind that comes with knowing your supervising agency has received your payment quickly and securely. Make restitution, pay supervision fees, court costs, self-report fees, monitoring fees and more online with a credit or debit card.
An updated list of participating facilities can be found here. Click on Ohio. All Ohio State prisons are participating, but the list of county jails is very small.
Disclaimer:
The Leaf Ministry does not endorse any particular service. Information on JPAY is presented as a convenience to our readers. We recommend doing your own diligence regarding JPAY to determine if their service is right for you. This includes, but is not limited to, reading their terms of use, privacy policy and other information found on their site.
Image courtesy of SweetCrisis at FreeDigitalPhotos.net