Patent ID: 8065213

Claim:
A system comprising: a correctional facility automated transaction processing system providing for deposit of funds by an individual outside of said correctional facility at the behest of a resident of said correctional facility, wherein said automated transaction processing system further comprises: an information management system integrated with said correctional facility automated transaction processing system, configured to provide a communication interface for use with said correctional facility automated transaction processing system by said resident and said individual outside of said correctional facility, wherein said communication interface is configured to initiate communications with said individual located outside the correctional facility and to prompt said individual located outside the correctional facility to deposit funds into a commissary account for use by said resident of the correctional facility, wherein the communication interface communicates with said outside individual to acquire the deposit without directly connecting said resident of the correctional facility and said outside individual; and an computer interface configured to accept said deposit of funds from an individual outside of said correctional facility, wherein, if the outside individual wishes to deposit the funds, the computer interface accepts an indication as to a deposit type, and credits at least a portion of the deposit to a resident account; and if the outside individual does not wish to deposit funds into the resident account, the computer interface provides instructions to the outside individual for later depositing funds into the resident account.