Systems and methods for transaction and information management

A method comprising:

• receiving by an automated transaction processing system an indication by a resident of a correctional facility that said resident wishes to request a deposit from a party outside said correctional facility into a transaction account maintained by said transaction processing system for said resident;
• verifying identification data for said resident, wherein said verifying identification data for said resident comprises, at least in part, collecting and analyzing biometric data or other unique identifier to identify said resident;
• obtaining from said resident a telephone number of the outside party;
• placing an outbound call by said automated transaction processing system to said outside party without directly connecting the resident and the indicated individual to make the requests for deposit;
• communicating, by an automated interactive voice response unit, said request to said outside party;
• if said outside party wishes to make said deposit, accepting, by said automated interactive voice response unit, an indication as to whether said party wishes to make said deposit to said account;
• receiving said deposit, using a technique selected from the group consisting of:
• check by phone, credit card by phone, and electronic funds transfer;
• crediting at least a portion of said deposit to said account;
• and
• if said outside party does not wish to deposit funds into said account, providing instructions to said outside party for later depositing funds into said account.

A method for managing transactions within a correctional facility, said method comprising:

• providing an information management engine integrating transaction functionality and telephone calling functionality for providing telephone calling services between a resident telephone of said correctional facility and a remote telephone outside of said correctional facility;
• establishing an account associated with a resident of said correctional facility;
• using said information management engine to conduct transactions associated with said resident of said correctional facility, said transactions including at least a request by said resident for a deposit into said account by a party outside of said correctional facility and telephone calling services;
• using biometric user identification technology or other unique identifier to verify said resident;
• accepting requests from said resident to said party outside of said facility for deposits into said accounts;
• using an automated interactive voice response to initiate a telephone call to the remote telephone of said outside party and to interface with said outside party to acquire a deposit;
• if said outside party wishes to make said deposit, accepting, by said automated interactive voice response unit, an indication as to whether said party wishes to make said deposit to said account;
• receiving said deposit, using a technique selected from the group consisting of:
• check by phone, credit card by phone, and electronic fund transfer;
• and
• crediting at least a portion of said deposit to said account;
• and
• if said outside party does not wish to deposit funds into said account, providing instructions to said outside party for later depositing funds into said account.

A computer program product having a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for use in managing information with respect to a correctional facility, said computer program product comprising:

• code for providing information management integrating transaction functionality and telephone calling functionality;
• code for establishing accounts associated with residents of said correctional facility;
• code for using said information management engine to conduct transactions associated with said residents of said correctional facility, said transactions including at least requests for deposits to appropriate ones of said accounts, said requests directed to individuals outside of said correctional facility;
• code for using biometric user identification technology or other unique identifier to verify said residents;
• code for accepting requests from said residents to said individuals outside of said correctional facility for deposits into said accounts;
• code for using an automated interactive voice response to initiate a telephone call to the remote telephone of said outside individuals and to interface with said outside individuals to acquire said deposits;
• if said outside individuals wish to make said deposits, accepting, by said automated interactive voice response unit, an indication as to whether said individuals wish to make said deposits to said account;
• receiving said deposits, using a technique selected from the group consisting of:
• check by phone, credit card by phone, and electronic fund transfer;
• and
• crediting at least a portion of said deposits to said accounts;
• and
• if said outside individuals do not wish to deposit funds into said account, providing instructions to said outside individuals for later depositing funds into said accounts.

An secure information management system for conducting transactions associated with a resident of a correctional facility, comprising:

• a plurality of access points adapted to securely communicate with user terminal equipment, a first set of the access points coupled directly to secure user terminals located within the correctional facility and a second set of the access points coupled indirectly to user terminals located outside the correctional facility;
• a secure information management engine for collecting and storing information for managing personnel, residents, vendors and resources associated with the correctional facility;
• an automated transaction processing system for performing commerce transactions, the commerce transactions comprising providing goods and services, determining credit worthiness, verifying account status, and managing payments and deposits;
• a voice response unit coupled to the automated transaction processing system for performing commerce transactions, the voice response unit coupled to the user terminals located within the correctional facility and to the user terminals located outside the correctional facility, the voice response unit adapted to initiate calls to parties located outside the correctional facility and to prompt the parties located outside the correctional facility to deposit funds into accounts for use by inmates of the correctional facility, wherein the voice response unit interface with said outside parties to acquire the deposit without directly connecting said inmates and said outside parties;
• a secure call application management system operating under control of the automated transaction processing system for performing secure commerce transactions to provide call connections between the parties located outside of the correctional facility and the inmates which can be accessed and monitored by investigators;
• wherein if said outside parties wish to make said deposit, the voice response unit accepts an indication as to whether said parties wish to make said deposit to said account;
• the automated transaction processing system for performing commerce transactions receives said deposits, using a technique selected from the group consisting of:
• check by phone, credit card by phone, and electronic fund transfer;
• and crediting at least a portion of said deposits to said accounts;
• and
• if said outside individuals do not wish to deposit funds into said account, the voice response unit provides instructions to said outside individuals for later depositing funds into said accounts.