Information for families preparing for a loved one entering the Arizona Department of Corrections:

If your loved one is sentenced to serve time in the Arizona Department of Corrections, they will be taken from the courtroom directly to the County jail until the pick up transportation van comes from the prison, Arizona Department of Corrections (DOC). The jail, run by the county, and the prison (DOC), are two totally separate entities. So, the below will explain how to get set up to support your inmate in the Arizona Department of Corrections.

The AZ DOC usually picks up inmates from the county a couple times a week. The male inmate is then taken to Alhambra, which is an intake center in Phoenix. Female inmates are taken to Perryville, which is the only female prison in Arizona.

At the intake center, the male inmate will be evaluated medically, mentally, and socially (gang affiliations), to determine which prison, and which level yard is the correct and safest placement for them. The inmate will be at the intake center for a couple of weeks, and may not be able to contact loved ones during this time. Once the inmate is physically transported to the prison they have been assigned to, it will be posted on the Arizona Department of Corrections website, and can be found within the inmate search option.

Firstly, to get approved for telephone calls/possible in-person visits, you’ll have to fill out an application here: https://corrections.az.gov/inmate-visitation-application. It will take about a month or so to get approved for calls after your loved one is transferred from Alhambra (the sorting facility) and stationed where he’s going to stay. When the inmate is assigned a DOC number, you will need to fill out the application.

Your inmate will have access to a tablet, which gives them the chance to message with loved ones as well as access music and movies. Funds can be added to this account through JPay here: http://www.jpay.com/Agency-Details/AZ-DOC-Inmate-Services.aspx . There are some steps to go through to create an account, end it cannot be done until your inmate receives a DOC number.

For commissary, a sample list of prices for goods for a facility are below (mind you, it might not be where your inmate stays but it provide you with some sample prices). Arizona DOC utilizes 3 different vendors as options for adding funds to inmate’s books; Keefe, GTL and JPay. Information about each and transfer rates can be found here: https://corrections.az.gov/inmate-deposits

Click here for the FCC Tucson Complex Commissary List

Although it may be a little confusing at first, once you get approved and get used to the transfer accounts, it shouldn’t be too hard to maintain.

Hallam Law Group has provided this information to try to help you and your loved one have the easiest transition possible to DOC.