In the next couple of weeks, Boyle County Detention Center officials and inmates will have a state-of-the-art system for easily managing money.
During a recent Fiscal Court meeting, Boyle Jailer Barry Harmon discussed how a financial management system issued through the company Telmate could help prevent people from losing their jobs after being arrested for minor crimes. Fiscal Court members unanimously approved his proposal to enter a contract with Telmate to provide more streamlined inmate financial services.
Under the current money management system, a family member or friend must come to the jail with a credit card or cash to bond someone out of custody. People incarcerated for any reason cannot use any cash or credit cards they have when arrested, though this will change under the new system.
Telmate provides kiosks that will help jailers more effectively manage money, and the program does not cost the county any money, Harmon said during a telephone interview Friday. In the next two weeks, kiosks will be placed in the lobby of the jail and a to-be-determined location in Harrodsburg. Telmate already has a kiosk inside the jail, where inmates can access money placed in their accounts to purchase snacks and other items from the canteen.
Right now, jail personnel must physically account for cash and credit cards that someone has when he is arrested. With the new system, a deputy will place the cash in the inmate’s Telmate account and provide a receipt. If he needs to bond out of custody and has sufficient funds on a credit or debit card, officials will assist him in using Telmate to pay the required amount of bail, Harmon said.
“We had several folks who were arrested over a weekend and needed to pay a low amount of money like $200 to get out of jail,” Harmon said. “But until now, they have been unable to use their credit cards to pay the bond. A few guys lost their jobs because it was too difficult for them to bond out of custody and report to work on Monday morning.”
Harmon said family members and friends will be able to quickly deposit money via cash or credit card to an inmate’s account once the kiosks are in place. This will further help inmates who are eligible to bond out of custody. Also, people serving jail sentences can access funds through their Telmate cards to purchase telephone minutes, stamps, food, beverages and other items sold through the jail canteen.
“We hope by putting one of these Telmate kiosks in Harrodsburg that family members living in Mercer County can more easily help loved ones out without needing to drive to Danville,” Harmon said.
During a recent Fiscal Court meeting, Boyle Jailer Barry Harmon discussed how a financial management system issued through the company Telmate could help prevent people from losing their jobs after being arrested for minor crimes. Fiscal Court members unanimously approved his proposal to enter a contract with Telmate to provide more streamlined inmate financial services.
Under the current money management system, a family member or friend must come to the jail with a credit card or cash to bond someone out of custody. People incarcerated for any reason cannot use any cash or credit cards they have when arrested, though this will change under the new system.
Telmate provides kiosks that will help jailers more effectively manage money, and the program does not cost the county any money, Harmon said during a telephone interview Friday. In the next two weeks, kiosks will be placed in the lobby of the jail and a to-be-determined location in Harrodsburg. Telmate already has a kiosk inside the jail, where inmates can access money placed in their accounts to purchase snacks and other items from the canteen.
Right now, jail personnel must physically account for cash and credit cards that someone has when he is arrested. With the new system, a deputy will place the cash in the inmate’s Telmate account and provide a receipt. If he needs to bond out of custody and has sufficient funds on a credit or debit card, officials will assist him in using Telmate to pay the required amount of bail, Harmon said.
“We had several folks who were arrested over a weekend and needed to pay a low amount of money like $200 to get out of jail,” Harmon said. “But until now, they have been unable to use their credit cards to pay the bond. A few guys lost their jobs because it was too difficult for them to bond out of custody and report to work on Monday morning.”
Harmon said family members and friends will be able to quickly deposit money via cash or credit card to an inmate’s account once the kiosks are in place. This will further help inmates who are eligible to bond out of custody. Also, people serving jail sentences can access funds through their Telmate cards to purchase telephone minutes, stamps, food, beverages and other items sold through the jail canteen.
“We hope by putting one of these Telmate kiosks in Harrodsburg that family members living in Mercer County can more easily help loved ones out without needing to drive to Danville,” Harmon said.
