Spending Limit
A spending limit is the maximum amount an inmate can spend on commissary purchases within a given time period, typically per week or per month.
What Is Spending Limit?
A spending limit is the maximum amount an inmate can spend on commissary purchases within a given time period, typically per week or per month. Spending limits vary by facility and security level. Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities have a standard monthly commissary spending limit of $360. County jails often have lower weekly limits of $50 to $100. Spending limits do not affect how much money can be deposited into the trust account, only how much can be spent at once.
At a federal prison, an inmate has $500 in their trust account but the $360 monthly spending limit means they can only spend $360 at the commissary that month. The remaining $140 carries forward to the next month.
Related Terms
Explore other glossary terms that are closely connected to this topic.
Commissary
Commissary is an in-facility store available to incarcerated people where they can purchase food, hygiene items, clothing, stationery, and other approved goods using funds from their inmate account.
FinanceInmate Trust Account
An inmate trust account is the financial account maintained by the correctional facility on behalf of each incarcerated person.
FinanceCanteen
Canteen is an alternative term for commissary used at some correctional facilities, particularly in federal and some state systems.
People Also Ask
Related questions families often search for alongside this topic.
What is Commissary?
Commissary is an in-facility store available to incarcerated people where they can purchase food, hygiene items, clothing, stationery, and other approved goods using funds from their inmate account.
Read full definitionWhat is Inmate Trust Account?
An inmate trust account is the financial account maintained by the correctional facility on behalf of each incarcerated person.
Read full definitionWhat is Canteen?
Canteen is an alternative term for commissary used at some correctional facilities, particularly in federal and some state systems.
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