Before You Send Money to Southern Desert Correctional Center: A Checklist for Families

NDOC facilities like Southern Desert Correctional Center accept two standard deposit methods. The first is a Lockbox Deposit Coupon with a cashier's check or money order sent by mail. The second is an Access Corrections deposit using a credit or debit card (MasterCard or Visa) - you can do this online or by phone. Choosing between them comes down to timing and convenience: mail-based payments need the right paperwork and take longer, while card deposits process through the vendor.

Running into trouble? Can't find the right screen, have a question about a charge, or need to confirm a transaction went through? NDOC lists vendor phone numbers for the automated systems it uses - including the Automated Payment System (for trust deposits and AdvancePay deposits) and support lines for GettingOut and ConnectNetwork. Contact the vendor directly for the fastest answers.

• ✓ Print the Lockbox Deposit Coupon from the NDOC website, or
• ✓ Get the Lockbox Deposit Coupon from the offender (the offender is responsible for sending coupons to people who want to deposit money)

Sending a money order or cashier's check directly to NDOC? Plan for a delay. Funds from all money orders and cashier's checks received directly by NDOC won't be available to the incarcerated person until 14 calendar days after NDOC receives them. This hold exists because of counterfeit activity - staff can't waive it, even for urgent needs.

Money requests are where families get pressured or scammed - especially when the request comes from someone you don't actually know. NDOC warns that people who aren't previously acquainted with an incarcerated person should be wary of sending money for things like "release," "restitution," or other claimed expenses. NDOC also makes clear it takes no responsibility for statements made by someone requesting funds. Treat unusual stories or urgent demands as something to verify, not something you need to act on immediately.

The biggest red flag? Any demand for money tied to getting someone out. NDOC does not require payment of any fees for any type of release, and it has no specified schedules for restitution payments. If someone pushes you to pay a "release fee," "processing fee," or claims there's a "restitution schedule" due right now - don't send money based on that claim.

1. Choose an approved deposit method - Use either a Lockbox Deposit Coupon with a cashier’s check/money order, or Access Corrections with a MasterCard/Visa (or by calling Access Corrections).
2. Get the Lockbox Deposit Coupon (if you’re mailing funds) - Print it from the NDOC site or get it from the offender.
3. Factor in the 14-day hold for mailed payments - Money orders and cashier’s checks received directly by NDOC become available 14 calendar days after receipt.
4. Use vendor support when you have a question - NDOC provides vendor phone numbers for systems like the Automated Payment System, AdvancePay, GettingOut, and ConnectNetwork so you can confirm details directly.
5. Treat urgent or unusual money requests as “verify first” - Be wary of requests (especially from people you don’t already know) for “release,” “restitution,” or other claimed costs, and remember NDOC assumes no responsibility for statements made by an offender requesting funds.