Tablets at SCI Phoenix: How Link Units, Ordering, and Family Payments Work

At SCI Phoenix, only the inmate can order a tablet, and they do it through the Pennsylvania DOC commissary system. You can't order one directly for them. What you can do is make sure they have the funds available so they can place the commissary order themselves.

That said, you can still make the purchase happen. Family members and friends are allowed to send money so the inmate can buy a tablet. If you're planning to do this, coordinate with your loved one so they know when to submit the commissary order.

To send money electronically, you'll need a JPay account. If you haven't used JPay before, set that up first. Then send the funds with enough lead time for your loved one to place the commissary order.

Link units are the tablet currency used in PA DOC facilities, including SCI Phoenix. One link unit equals a penny. They can be used to buy songs, send email messages, play games, and pay for other DOC-approved content on the tablet.

Just like the tablet itself, link units are purchased through commissary. If your loved one is running low, the fix is the same: make sure money is available on their account, and they can submit a commissary order for more link units.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Confirm your loved one understands they must place the tablet order through commissary.
• ✓ Send money early enough that it is available before they try to purchase the tablet through commissary.

• ✓ Remember that link units are purchased through commissary orders.
• ✓ If you are sending money electronically from the outside to support a tablet purchase, you will need a JPay account.