Managing Financial Accounts Associated with Residents of Controlled-Environment Facilities

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing financial accounts associated with residents of controlled-environment facilities are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method may include receiving information corresponding to a pooled account (e.g., a trust account, etc.) held by a financial institution (e.g., a bank), at least in part, for the benefit of residents (e.g., work-release inmates, etc.) of a controlled-environment facility (e.g., a jail, prison, etc.). The method may also include allocating funds within the pooled account to corresponding residents. The method may further include designating a first portion of the funds allocated to a given resident as inaccessible to the resident and designating a second portion of funds allocated to the given resident as accessible to the resident. A magnetic card, near-field communications (NFC) device, or the like may be associated with the accessible portion of a resident's funds and used to complete transactions inside and/or outside of the controlled-environment facility.

1 . A method, comprising:
 performing, via one or more computer systems:   receiving information corresponding to a pooled account existing for the benefit of a plurality of residents of a controlled-environment facility;   electronically designating a first portion of funds within the pooled account that are allocated to a given resident as inaccessible to the given resident; and   electronically designating a second portion of funds within the pooled account that are allocated to the given resident as accessible to the given resident.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the controlled-environment facility is selected from the group consisting of: a municipal jail, a county jail, a state prison, a federal prison, a military stockade, a juvenile facility, a detention camp, a home incarceration environment, a hospital, a nursing home, a mental health facility, a rehabilitation facility, a hotel, a resort, a camp, a school, and a dormitory. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising electronically subtracting a fee from funds within the pooled account that are allocated to the given resident in response to the designating. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the given resident is a work-release inmate, the method further comprising:
 causing the second portion of funds to be available for the work-release inmate's use via a debit card.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing, via the one or more computer systems, electronically adding money to the funds allocated to the given resident, the added money received from the given resident or from the given resident's employer.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing, via the one or more computer systems,   electronically subtracting money from the funds allocated to the given resident, the subtracted money corresponding to at least one of a restitution obligation, child support obligation, or fine.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing, via the one or more computer systems,   electronically enforcing, for the given resident, an allocation rule configured to establish a maximum amount of funds allowed to be designated as the second portion.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing, via the one or more computer systems,   electronically enforcing, for the given resident, a spending rule configured to control at least one of: a geographical area where funds in the second portion are allowed to be spent, a type of transaction allowed to be conducted using funds in the second portion, or a type of business allowed to receive payment from funds in the second portion.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing, via the one or more computer systems,   automatically transferring funds from the first portion to the second portion in response to the second portion reaching a minimum amount.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing, via the one or more computer systems,   causing the second portion of funds to be available for the given resident's use via a magnetic card or a near-field communication (NFC) device.   
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory configured to store program instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the system to:   receive information corresponding to a pooled account existing for the benefit of a plurality of residents of a controlled-environment facility;   designate a first portion of funds within the pooled account that are allocated to a given resident as inaccessible to the given resident; and   designate a second portion of funds within the pooled account that are allocated to the given resident as accessible to the given resident.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controlled-environment facility is selected from the group consisting of: a municipal jail, a county jail, a state prison, a federal prison, a military stockade, a juvenile facility, a detention camp, a home incarceration environment, a hospital, a nursing home, a mental health facility, a rehabilitation facility, a hotel, a resort, a camp, a school, and a dormitory. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , the program instructions further executable by the at least one processor to cause the system to subtract a fee from funds allocated to the given resident. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein designating the first and second portions occurs in response to a user's command received via an interactive voice response (IVR) system or a graphical user interface (GUI). 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein designating the first and second portions occurs in response to execution of one or more allocation rules. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by one or more computer systems, cause the one or more computer systems to:
 receive information corresponding to a pooled account existing for the benefit of a plurality of residents of a controlled-environment facility;   designate a first portion of funds within the pooled account that are allocated to a given resident as inaccessible to the given resident; and   designate a second portion of funds within the pooled account that are allocated to the given resident as accessible to the given resident.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the controlled-environment facility is selected from the group consisting of: a municipal jail, a county jail, a state prison, a federal prison, a military stockade, a juvenile facility, a detention camp, a home incarceration environment, a hospital, a nursing home, a mental health facility, a rehabilitation facility, a hotel, a resort, a camp, a school, and a dormitory. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , the program instructions further executable by the by one or more computer systems to cause the one or more computer systems to subtract a fee from funds allocated to the given resident. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein designating the first and second portions occurs in response to a user's command received via an interactive voice response (IVR) system or a graphical user interface (GUI). 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein designating the first and second portions occurs in response to execution of one or more allocation rules.