MONEY C-410 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE MONEY NO: C-410
FILE: MONEY
EFFECTIVE DATE: 04-29-91 REVISED: 12-25-94, 08-01-02, 05-22-14
AUTHORITY: Sheriff J. Zanoni APPROVED BY: Assistant Sheriff T. Gattie
REFERENCE: California Government Code Section 26640; Penal Code Section
4003; County of Fresno Management Directive, Chapter 700; and
California Code of Regulations, Title 15, Section 1041.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this policy is to establish and maintain a consistent method of handling
inmate money.
POLICY:
It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division to take charge of, safely
keep, and keep a correct account of, all money and valuables found on each inmate when
delivered at the Jail.
It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division that all arrestees shall
receive a receipt for their money at the time of intake.
It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division to release the money and
valuables found on the inmate at the time of booking (or any portion thereof)as the inmate
directs. The Sheriff's Office shall pay and deliver all the remainder of the inmate's money
and valuables to the inmate upon release from the Jail.
It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division that all money
discrepancies shall be reported to the Sheriffs Business Office as soon as possible via
written report during non-business hours, and via telephone during regular business hours.
It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriff's Office Jail Division that all discrepancies shall
be reported to the Sheriff Business Office's Inmate Accounting Unit. The Sheriffs Business
Manager will follow County's Management Directive and report any shortage greater than
$100 to the Auditor Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector. If the shortage is less than $100,
the Sheriff's Business Manager will determine whether the Sheriff's Office will proceed
forward with a claim to County Risk Management for reimbursement.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE MONEY NO: C-410
FILE: MONEY
PROCEDURES:
I. NEGOTIABLE ITEMS AT INTAKE
A. The arresting/transporting officer will be responsible to deposit the
inmate's cash (U.S. currency and coins) into the automated electronic
TouchPay kiosks during the intake/booking process.
B. Checks and money orders issued by other facilities, and all government-
issued checks should be given to the Booking I Officer for deposit to the
inmate's account. All drafts must be properly and legally endorsed by the
inmate.
C. Negotiable items should not be placed into the inmate's property
envelope, with the following exceptions-
1. All non-government issued checks (e.g., payroll, personal, cashier,
etc.)
2. Any money valued at greater than face value (e.g., silver certificates,
silver coins, etc.)
3. Any money considered to be of personal value to the inmate (e.g.,
lucky coins, autographed bills, etc.)
4. Foreign coins and foreign paper money (including Canadian)
5. Badly mutilated money (e.g., holes drilled through coins, etc.)
D. Obviously soiled money (e.g., blood, urine, vomit, etc.) shall be handled
utilizing universal precautions. The soiled money should be labeled as
such and placed into a plastic bag with the inmate's name and JID
number indicated.
E. The TouchPay kiosk will not accept crumpled, worn, torn, or fraudulent
bills. Bills with folded corners and ink markings may also be rejected. If a
bill continues to be rejected by the intake kiosk, it should be placed into
an envelope with the inmate's name and JID number indicated and
forwarded to the Business Office.
F. The TouchPay kiosk will not accept dollar or half dollar coins. Individual
coins in a reasonable amount may be placed into the inmate's property
envelope. Anything totaling more than $5 shall be placed into an
envelope with the inmate's name and JID number indicated and
forwarded to the Business Office.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE MONEY NO: C-410
FILE: MONEY
G. Negotiable items unable to be deposited into the intake kiosk may either
be confiscated by the transporting officer or placed into a money bag and
forwarded to the Business Office. Any such item shall be clearly labeled
to indicate the reason why it has been forwarded to the Business Office
(e.g., "suspicious bill", soiled money, torn bill, etc.), and a corresponding
entry made in the COMMENTS section of the inmate's PROPERTY
screen via OffenderTrak.
II. ARRESTING/TRANSPORTING OFFICER'S RESPONSIBILITY
A. Once the inmate has been accepted by the Booking Nurse, the
transporting officer shall ensure that all acceptable negotiable items that
have been removed from the arrestee are deposited into a TouchPay
kiosk machine.
B. The kiosk will dispense two (2) receipts. One is to be initialed by the
transporting officer confirming the deposit and given to the Booking I
Officer, along with the inmate's property. The second receipt is to be
given to the inmate.
C. If the inmate does not have any money, a money envelope (J-178) shall
be filled out by the transporting officer. The word "none" (or the
arithmetical symbol 0) shall be written in the appropriate space.
III. REJECTED BILLS
A. If a bill cannot be processed or is rejected as suspicious, the bill shall be
placed in a labeled envelope with the inmate's name and JID number,
and forwarded to the Business Office. The inmate shall have any
remaining (legal) monies posted to their account.
B. The authentication process can take one-to-two business days. Once a
determination has been made as to whether the bill is legal or not, the
Business Office will either place the money onto the inmate's books, or
turn the counterfeit money over to the proper authority. The Business
Office will notify the sending officer and the Booking Sergeant if the bill
was determined to be counterfeit. All other funds will be deposited and
the inmate will be issued a receipt.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE MONEY NO: C-410
FILE: MONEY
IV. CHECKS ISSUED BY OTHER AGENCIES
A. Ensure the check has been endorsed by the inmate.
B. The Booking I Officer shall post the money amount to the inmate's
personal trust account via OffenderTrak. (Refer to Addendum A for
procedures.)
C. The check(s) shall be placed into a money bag (along with the Batch
Summary Report and adding machine tape, if more than one check) and
forwarded to the Business Office.
V. GENERAL DEPOSITS
A. Money can only be deposited into an inmate's account via TouchPay.
Deposits to an inmate's trust account can be made in the following ways-
1. At the kiosks located in the Jail Lobbies. Cash, VISA and
MasterCard credit/debit cards are accepted. Personal checks,
cashier's checks and money orders are not accepted.
2. Online at www.touchpaydirect.com
3. Toll-free phone at 1-866-232-1899. [An active account log-in number
is required. To obtain one, individuals must first register either online
at the TouchPay site, or by calling the customer service line at 1-866-
204-1603.]
B. The Jail's facility number(#293721)and the inmate's Booking number are
required for remote deposits.
C. There is a convenience fee to use and fund the inmate's account. Fees
are dependent on the amount of the transaction and the system used.
(Refer to Addendum B.)
D. The inmate will receive a receipt of the transaction on the next calendar
day. The A-platoon and Watch 2 security officers on each floor will be
responsible to run a Cash Receipt Report (Reports/Reports/Fresno
Reports/Housing/Cash Receipt) each morning for the previous day, and
ensure the receipts are distributed during the course of the shift.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE MONEY NO: C-410
FILE: MONEY
VI. MONEY FOUND ON AN INMATE AFTER BOOKING
A. Money found in the possession of an inmate after they have left the
booking area, subsequent to their being booked, shall be considered
contraband, confiscated, and the following shall be performed:
1. The money shall be retained by the discovering officer and personally
forwarded to the facility Sergeant.
2. A rule violation and an incident report shall be written.
B. The Sergeant shall forward the discovered money and a copy of the
completed incident report to the Sheriffs Business Office. The moneywill
be deposited into the General Fund.
VI I. AUTHORIZATION TO RELEASE FUNDS
A. Authorization to release inmate funds is delegated to the Money/Property
Officer as part of their job assignment. No other person shall release
inmate funds without the express authorization from the Lieutenant of
Booking & Records, or in his absence, the on-duty Watch Commander,
Jail Division Captains, Assistant Sheriff, Undersheriff or Sheriff.
B. Prior to commencing any money release transactions,the Money/Property
Officer must start a Batch in OffenderTrak (Refer to Addendum C).
Vill. SECURITY AND SAFEKEEPING OF CARDS
A. The debit cards shall be treated as cash and stored securely in the
Property Room safe when not in use. The safe shall be operated under
dual access control, which shall require the active involvement of two
people required to be present whenever the safe is opened (normally, the
Booking/Records Sergeant and the Money/Property Officer).
B. The Booking/Records Sergeant shall provide the Money/Property Officer
with a working supply of debit cards at the beginning of each shift. The
number of cards issued and returned shall be confirmed and logged on the
Debit Card Inventory Log (Addendum D).
C. If additional cards are needed during the course of the shift, the
Booking/Records Sergeant shall be notified, and the additional cards shall
be documented on the log.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE MONEY NO: C-410
FILE: MONEY
D. The cards assigned to the Money/Property Officer shall be secured in the
money drawer at all times when not in use.
E. Additional sleeves of cards may be obtained from the Services Sergeant.
The cards shall be added to the inventory in the safe under dual access
control (normally, the Services Sergeant and the Booking/Records
Sergeant).
IX. DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS
A. Black debit cards are issued to inmates upon release and to third party
persons as authorized by the inmate. Black debit cards will incur a weekly
service fee (in the amount of$2.95) the seventh day after activation.
B. Blue debit cards are issued to agents responsible to transport the inmates
to other facilities (e.g., U.S. Marshals and out-of-county agencies). Blue
debit cards are given a two-year grace period before they incur a weekly
service fee (in the amount of$2.50).
C. The maximum load per card is $9,500.
D. Each inmate, third party, or transporting agency will be provided with-
1. The 4-digit PIN number needed to access funds (which will be the
inmate's 4-digit month and date of birth as indicated on their booking
records (e.g., May 1 would be 0501).
2. A Card Usage Tips card that explains how to obtain cash and the
usage fees associated with the card.
3. A Cardholder Agreement form explaining the important terms and
conditions associated with the card.
E. If an inmate is transported enroute to a prison or other facility that does not
accept debit cards, the Business Office can issue a check. The check will
take approximately 2-3 weeks to process and will be mailed directly to the
receiving facility.
F. If a debit card needs to be cancelled (e.g., the inmate's release was
cancelled), the OffenderTrak transaction needs to be reversed.
G. Refer also to Addendum C and Jail Division policy and procedures section
C-450/Inmate Property Release for release procedures.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE MONEY NO: C-410
FILE: MONEY
X. RELEASE TO A THIRD PARTY
A. An inmate may release any or all of their money to a third party, as
directed by the inmate, but only those funds which the inmate had in their
possession at the time of the inmate's booking. The release shall require
the notification and authorization of the Records Sergeant.
B. Monies deposited to an inmate's account subsequent to booking shall not
be released to a third party. Exceptions may only be made for exigent
circumstances with the approval of the Watch Commander, or when
releasing all property prior to release/transfer to prison.
C. There is no cost associated with the first release of funds via a debit card.
There is a $3 charge for each debit card release thereafter.
XI. CANCELLING OR VOIDING CARDS
A. If a release is cancelled or a card is issued in the wrong amount, the card
will need to be cancelled immediately by emailing the contractor at
0ailsupport(a)-numifinancial.com. Send a courtesy copy (CC) to the
Business Office via mailbox "Sheriff Inmate Cash". Include the inmate's
name and the last 8-digits of the card number.
B. If a card cannot be activated or needs to be cancelled, do not destroy the
card. Mark it "void" with a black permanent marker and forward to the
Business Office.
XII. BALANCING TRUST FUND TRANSACTIONS
A. At the end of each shift, the Money/Property Officer shall be responsible to
balance the OffenderTrak Batch Transaction Report with the debit card
receipts.
1. Print a Batch Transaction Report (refer to Addendum C).
2. Total the amount of money issued on the debit cards by running an
adding machine tape. The tape should be stapled to the receipts and
stamped with the officer's name and computer number.
3. The two totals should equal. If they do not, determine and reconcile
the discrepancy (refer to Section XIII). The two totals must be
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE MONEY NO: C-410
FILE: MONEY
reconciled before closing the Batch.
B. After the two totals are reconciled, close the Batch. The officer shall
stamp the report with their name and computer number confirming that the
Batch is closed and balanced. Place all receipts, voided cards, and
reports in a plastic bag to be forwarded to the Business Office.
C. Return any unused cards to the safe and complete the inventory log,
ensuring that the number of cards used, voided, and returned is accurately
reflected on the log.
XIII. DISCREPANCIES IN TRUST FUND (MONEY) TRANSACTIONS
A. If there is a discrepancy between the OffenderTrak report (Trust
Accounting—Batch Transaction Report)and the dollar amount of the debit
cards issued, the Money/Property Officer shall re-add the debit card
receipts to verify and confirm the discrepancy.
B. If the amount still does not balance, reconcile the debit card receipts with
the individual transactions from the Batch Transaction Report. Check to
ensure that the amounts correspond.
1. Look for duplicate entries or entries not made.
2. If the difference is divisible by nine (9), the amount may have been
transposed. Look for inverted entries.
3. Ensure all transactions are for the current shift (if the Batch was not
closed previously, the total amounts from both shifts could be
combined).
C. If the amount issued to the inmate on a debit card is different than the
amount the inmate should have received as indicated on the Batch
Transaction Report, and the inmate was underfunded (e.g., the inmate's
debit card was funded for $30, but the inmate should have been given
$300, as was indicated by OffenderTrak), the following shall be performed-
1. First, reverse the transaction in OffenderTrak by crediting the amount
to the inmate's Trust Accounting fund. The STATUS needs to be
changed to OPEN and the amount that was previously withdrawn(e.g.,
$300) needs to be reversed. After the transaction has been reversed,
create a purchase transaction to properly reflect the amount that was
actually given to the inmate (e.g., $30). (Refer to Addendum E.) There
is no reason to cancel the card.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE MONEY NO: C-410
FILE: MONEY
2. Attempt to contact the individual telephonically and notify them of the
error.
a. If the individual can return to the facility, the money can be released
by issuing a second debit card (which can be issued on the
subsequent shift).
b. If the individual cannot return, or chooses not to, the Business
Office will process a check for the balance of the money. Obtain a
valid mailing address and complete an Inmate Accounting Request
Form. The Money/Property Officer shall complete the form and
include an explanation as to why the money wasn't released and
route the form to the Business Office.
c. If the individual cannot be contacted telephonically, send a letter to
the individual's last known address explaining the error. Include an
Inmate Accounting Request Form for the individual to complete,
along with a return envelope.
3. Notify the Booking/Records Sergeant and write an incident report. The
report shall specifically denote the process the responsible staff
member went through to verify and rectify the discrepancy.
4. A copy of the report and an explanation of any adjustments should be
sent to the Business Office.
D. If the amount issued to the inmate on a debit card is different than the
amount the inmate should have received as indicated on the Batch
Transaction Report, and the inmate was overpaid (e.g., the inmate's debit
card was funded for $300, but the inmate should have only been given
$30, as was indicated by OffenderTrak), the following shall be performed-
1. Immediately notify the Booking/Records Sergeant. If the amount is
more than $5, the Watch Commander shall be notified to determine the
course of action. Depending on the dollar amount of the error(and to a
lesser degree, the amount it should have been), an incident report may
suffice and no further action is required.
2. If the error is significant and the individual has not yet depleted the
funds on the card, the card may be cancelled. (Refer to Section XI.)
3. If the card is cancelled, the OffenderTrak transaction must be reversed.
The amount shall be credited to the inmate's Trust Accounting fund in
OffenderTrak. The STATUS needs to be changed to OPEN and the
amount that was previously withdrawn (e.g., $30) needs to be reversed.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: INMATE MONEY NO: C-410
FILE: MONEY
Attempt to contact the individual telephonically and notify them of the
error.
a. If the individual can return with the original/cancelled card, the
correct amount may be released by issuing a second debit card in
exchange for the first (which can be issued on the subsequent
shift).
b. If the individual cannot return, or chooses not to, the Business
Office will process a check for the correct amount. Obtain a valid
mailing address and complete an Inmate Accounting Request
Form. The Money/Property Officer shall complete the form and
include an explanation as to why the check needs to be issued and
route the form to the Business Office.
c. If the individual cannot be contacted telephonically, send a letter to
the individual's last known address explaining the error. Include an
Inmate Accounting Request Form for the individual to complete,
along with a return envelope.
4. An incident report shall be written which specifically denotes the
process the responsible staff member went through to verify and rectify
the discrepancy.
5. A copy of the report and an explanation of any adjustments should be
sent to the Business Office.
E. Any discrepancy will cause a Supervisor's Incident Report (J-122) to be
written.
XIV. AUDIT
A. The TouchPay/Numi fund shall be audited each business day via the
reconciliation process. The audit will be performed by an account clerk as
designated by the Business Manager.
B. The card inventory in the safe should be audited by the Services Sergeant
and the Booking/Records Sergeant at the time additional cards are added
to the safe inventory.
C. The Booking & Records Lieutenant, Jail Division Captains,Assistant Sheriff
and/or the Sheriff's Business Manager may conduct random audits when
deemed appropriate.
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