How to send money to someone in a Louisiana prison: methods, kiosk rules, and large-deposit investigations

Louisiana's DOC supports several ways to send money to someone at Napoleonville Detention Center: mail a money order, visit a MoneyGram location, deposit online through JPay (or the app), call in a payment by phone, or use a lobby kiosk during your visit. The right choice depends on what's convenient for you and how fast your loved one needs the funds.

Money orders sent by mail are a reliable option. This works well if you'd rather not use a card or prefer having a paper trail from the start.

Prefer handling things in person? Louisiana allows deposits at MoneyGram walk-up locations. It's a solid choice if you want a face-to-face transaction instead of going online.

JPay handles online deposits, and their mobile app works too. One thing worth knowing: credit/debit card fees at kiosks match JPay's online card fees. So the choice between kiosk and online is really about convenience, not cost.

Phone deposits are also available. This works when you can't make it to a kiosk and don't want to go online, but still need an authorized way to send money.

Kiosks in the visiting areas let you make deposits on-site. They accept both credit/debit cards and cash - quick and straightforward if you're already at the facility.

Lobby kiosks take cash or credit/debit cards. Card fees match what JPay charges online, so pick whichever method is easier for you.

• ✓ Cash deposits at lobby kiosks cost $4.00 per transaction for deposits from $0.01 to $500.00.

Keep timing in mind. Kiosk deposits take two days to hit the account, so don't wait until the last minute if your loved one needs money for commissary.

Louisiana reviews large deposits before releasing them. Any deposit of $500 or more triggers an investigation - and the money won't be available until that review is complete.

The bottom line: send $500 or more, expect a delay. Regardless of which deposit method you use, the funds stay on hold until the investigation wraps up.

All deposits run through Louisiana's offender banking rules. Department Regulation B-09-003 governs how funds are handled, so even after a payment goes through, it's still subject to those guidelines.

Account funds often go toward commissary purchases, but there's another option too. Louisiana's Canteen Package Program - Securepak by Keefe Group - lets you order pre-approved food, hygiene products, and personal items for people in state facilities.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Confirm you have the correct DPS&C number for the person you’re sending money to before you submit a deposit.
• ✓ Use an approved method (mail money order, MoneyGram walk-up, JPay internet/app, telephone, or a lobby kiosk) so the deposit can be credited properly.
• ✓ Keep your receipt or confirmation until the funds show up in the imprisoned person’s account.