Q&A
Suggestions for improving the fund claiming process
1:01:11
ยท
151 sec
Council members offer suggestions to improve the process of claiming commissary funds, and DOC representatives express willingness to explore these ideas.
- Council Member Ayala emphasizes the need for DOC to find ways to encourage inmates to claim even small amounts.
- Council Member Narcisse suggests simplifying the process, such as providing a clear notice of available funds and directions to the cashier window upon release.
- DOC representatives agree to explore how to better communicate remaining funds to individuals prior to discharge.
- The discussion concludes with an agreement to continue the conversation and work towards solving the root cause of unclaimed funds.
Diana I. Ayala
1:01:11
just think that the if the $5 that I don't I could care less about are becoming an inconvenience for you, that it will behoove you to figure out how to get me to claim those $5.
James Conroy
1:01:22
I I honestly, I think this is a great conversation to have.
1:01:24
We could share this offline and and work out something that we we think is fruitful and and would solve that problem.
1:01:31
Again, this is this is not, an issue for us.
1:01:34
You know, we we we can't force someone to do it, but certainly, we could explore every measure to try to get it so that we don't have these.
1:01:40
Because, again, they're not being used.
1:01:41
They're just there.
Diana I. Ayala
1:01:42
Appreciate that.
1:01:43
Thank you.
James Conroy
1:01:43
Yeah.
Mercedes Narcisse
1:01:46
One of the things I wanna add to that conversation is just can you actually simplify the process because you don't want to hold the fund.
1:01:54
Can you put a paper on top of it and then kind of like this is the fund and this is the window, like, direct the person?
1:02:01
Because everybody just like even a dollar you find on the floor, people will pick it up.
1:02:05
So if you have $5, you have $200 whatever it may be.
1:02:09
So, I think it should be for me from listening I don't think that engagement is kind of fluid, like, for the person to be like saying okay this is the money that I have.
1:02:20
And said okay on your way out this is a $5 and circle the amount and you can stop at over at the cashier and pick up your money.
1:02:28
So, because you're anxious, you don't, you just don't want to go, like my colleague just said.
1:02:33
Do you think that it's something that you can do to simplify it, to make it a little more encouraging, like you have that kind of money you stop at the cashier.
1:02:42
Can you do that?
Nell McCarty
1:02:43
I definitely think that we can explore how we message to people what their remaining funds are leading up to their discharge.
1:02:49
I think the challenge, that I mentioned is that for, let's say, somebody who's city sentenced where we know their discharge date, or if somebody has a great sense of where their discharge may land in their process with the courts, in that scenario, it may be easier.
1:03:04
There are some scenarios that where people do post bail, and they're very quickly removed from from custody and that we may not be able to always, instantly print it out.
1:03:14
But, again, I agree that there are definitely avenues that we could be communicating.
1:03:18
So we'll look into any suggestion.
Sandy Nurse
1:03:21
Thank you.
1:03:21
Alright.
1:03:22
Thank you.
1:03:22
Yeah.
1:03:24
And it's good to know that you're open to that conversation, and trying to with, council member Hudson, who couldn't be here to speak on her bill, and actually, like, solve the root cause of the problem, as you say, which is, you know, I think, a big issue.
1:03:40
Okay.
1:03:41
Council member 1.