Can a Prison Take Money From an Inmate's Commissary Account?

Generally no. Being written up and sent to the hole does not result in money being taken from an inmate's commissary account as a standard punishment. Disciplinary sanctions typically come in the form of lost privileges, loss of good time credits, or placement in segregation. Random monetary deductions as punishment are not standard practice.

That said, there are several legitimate circumstances where a facility can and does deduct from an inmate's account.

Restitution. If a court ordered restitution as part of the sentence, the facility will typically work out a payment schedule based on the inmate's average commissary balance and deduct a portion of incoming deposits automatically until the obligation is satisfied.

Property damage or theft. If a disciplinary hearing finds that an inmate deliberately damaged facility property or stole from another inmate or staff member, restitution can be ordered and deducted in installments from the commissary account.

Bed charges. Some county jails charge inmates a daily rate for housing, sometimes called a pay-to-stay fee. This practice varies by jurisdiction and is more common at the county level than in state or federal facilities.

Medical co-pays. Many facilities charge inmates a small co-pay for medical and dental visits. These are typically modest amounts, a few dollars per visit, deducted directly from the commissary account.

If money appears to be missing from an account without a clear explanation, asking the case manager or counselor for a recent account statement showing all transactions is the right first step.