Glossary
What is Inmate Trust Account?
The account a jail or prison keeps for each incarcerated person to hold money from family deposits and other sources.
An inmate trust account is the money account a facility keeps for each person in its custody. Deposits from family and friends go into it, and your loved one spends from it at commissary. In some jails, cash a person had at arrest is also placed in the account.
The federal Bureau of Prisons describes its version as a bank-type account for each person's money. Some states split the account into parts. Washington, for example, tracks separate subaccounts for commissary, spendable funds, postage and medical items.
Depending on state rules, money in the account may be subject to deductions for fees or debts. Check with the facility.
Read more
- How to Put Money on Someone's Commissary Account
- How to Send Money to Someone in Jail
- How Does Prison Commissary Work? A Plain-English Guide for Families
Related terms
- Commissary
- Money Order
- Lobby Kiosk Deposit
- Release Card (Prepaid Debit Card at Release)
- Cost of Incarceration Fee (Pay-to-Stay)