Commissary — Ask the Inmate
The commissary is one of the most important parts of daily life inside a correctional facility. It is where inmates purchase food to supplement institutional meals, personal care items, stationery, postage, and in many facilities access to phone credits and entertainment. For families on the outside understanding how commissary works, how to put money on an account, and what items are available can make a meaningful difference in their loved one's daily comfort and wellbeing. This section covers how commissary accounts work across federal and state facilities, how much money can be deposited and how often, what items are typically available, how commissary functions as informal currency inside facilities, and how to send money efficiently using approved services. The practical knowledge here comes from people who lived inside and know firsthand what a well-funded commissary account means to someone doing time. See also our sections on Money Transfer, Send Inmate Money, and Prison Food.
Related InmateAid Services
There are several different companies that offer varieties of inmate care packages. Ordering will depend on where they are (allowed or not) and how much you want to spend. It is not available in all places - but all places offer commissary - the easy route is just add money to their inmate trust account.
Read moreUsually the correspondence materials must come from the facility. We are not 100% on how Deuel does it, but most places require the inmate to get these items from the commissary and if indigent they will be provided to them at no charge.
Read moreThe commissary list for the Davidson County Male Correctional Center is not posted on their website. Here is a link to a federal facility commissary list to get an idea of some of the items available: https://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/lex/LEX_CommList.pdf
Read moreNo cigarettes allowed anywhere on the property. Cigarettes are considered contraband and possessing them subject the inmate to some form of punishment, usually in the form of a loss of privileges. Cigarettes are smuggled into all of the facilities and there is a barter system in place that is pays for it. This is NOT heavily scrutinized by the staff. The mail is handed out by the staff Monday - Friday after they have read and inspected every piece.
Read moreWhat facility is this for? We have some commissary sheets posted on the site, if we do not have one for the facility where your inmate is, we will be happy to email you some examples.
Read moreYes, that is what the commissary is for.
Read morePer the requirements of the GDC, orders may only be placed by those individuals that are approved for visitation or approved for financials for the inmate they are placing the order for. If you are not currently registered on the inmate’s visitation list, please visit the GDC website www.dcor.state.ga.us and review the Offender Families and Friends section titled “Visitation – GDC Policy” to review the necessary procedures to become registered. Access Securepak is required to compare the
Read moreInmates are permitted to shop at the commissary once a week. Inmates either order off of a commissary list and have the items brought to their cell or they line up with their list and purchase the items at the commissary window
Read moreCommissary prices are close to what you would find in most grocery stores. Inmates can spend between $50 - $75 per week on average. Some inmates use it as a grocery store and buy a lot, others pick out just their very basic needs. Here are some of the wide ranging items on the list: Instant coffee, sodas of all kinds, chocolate, licorice, Cheetos, Jolly Rangers, nuts, microwave popcorn, cookies, crackers, protein bars, pop tarts and cereal. There are
Read moreMost inmates are able to spend between $50 - $75 per week. But, we advise our readers to only put the amount that you can afford. Don't go broke funding your inmate's commissary account. Commissary is for the "extras", the facility provides everything that an inmate need to sustain themselves.
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