The Commissary stocks and sells a variety of items for inmate consumption. The Section is comprised of a first line supervisor (sergeant), twenty deputies, and four civilian clerks. Orders placed by the inmates are bagged and delivered based on the schedule that is currently in effect (schedules vary due to changes in population and housing assignments).

Inmates are currently housed at four different locations: 1200 Baker Street, 1307 Baker Street, 701 North San Jacinto and 711 North San Jacinto. A fully stocked Commissary is maintained at 701 North San Jacinto and 1200 Baker Street. Deliveries for 701 North San Jacinto and 1200 Baker Street are Tuesday thru Friday. Commissary for 1307 Baker Street is delivered three days a week and is prepared at 1200 Baker Street. Commissary for the 711 N. San Jacinto facility is delivered one (1) day a week and is prepared at 701 N. San Jacinto.

The Commissary Section stocks, and delivers commissary items to all inmates with sufficient monetary funds. Any questions concerning the inmate’s monetary funds should be directed to the Inmate Bank.

An inmate is allowed to purchase up to $100 in commissary once a week. Each cellblock is scheduled a regular delivery day (Tuesday-Friday at 701 N. San Jacinto and 1200 Baker). If an inmate’s delivery date falls on a holiday, they are normally allowed to purchase a maximum of $200 (versus the normal $100 limit) the week prior to the holiday. Some inmate’s Commissary purchases are restricted. These restrictions may be for security reasons (MHMRA inmates), medical reasons (diabetics), gender based (male/female), or restrictions based on disciplinary action.

To order commissary an inmate must complete an order form the day before their regularly scheduled delivery day. Commissary personnel collect order forms during the early morning hours of the scheduled delivery day. These orders are then separated by housing floor and scanned through the computer system to facilitate the processing of the order. Due to the importance of the scanning process, the inmate is responsible for properly filling out their order form or their order will be rejected. Along with marking the items and quantities requested, an inmate must fill in their name, housing location, SPN number, and then sign the order form. The Commissary system queries the Inmate Bank system for the availability of funds. If sufficient funds are available a real time deduction is made from the inmate’s account at the time the order is scanned. The items ordered are subsequently bagged and delivered to the inmate by commissary staff. If sufficient funds are not available for the purchase of all the items ordered by the inmate, the order is filled in the order that the items appear on the order form to the maximum number of items allowed by the account balance.

The commissary stocks approximately 160 items. Items are categorized in commissary as follows:

Stamps/Legal/Stationary includes pencils, pens; paper, stamps, Bibles, envelopes.

Hygiene/Clothing/Health includes deodorant soap, non-deodorant soap, washcloth, towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, and cocoa butter lotion.

Pharmaceutical include cough drops, ibuprofen tablets, and vitamins, anti-fungal cream, contact lens cleaner.

Miscellaneous/Foods include snack crackers, cheese crackers, beef tamales, peanut butter, pickles, roast beef, Spam, potatoes, sardines, salt/pepper, bowl with lid, storage box with lid, immersion heater.

Snacks include Snickers, Skittles, tootsie pops, crème cookies, Kit Kat, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, red hots, peanuts, corn chips, assorted chips, pastries.

Instant Drinks include coffee, kool-aid, pre-sweet ice tea, sweet n low, coffee mate, hot chocolate mix, chili soup, and beef soup, chicken soup.

Ice Cream/Drinks are made up of Soda drinks, diet soda drinks, bottled water, fruit juices and three flavors of ice cream.