Case Study: Idaho Department of Correction achieves faster, more reliable inmate release payments and saves hours with Tyler Technologies' Release Pay

Electronic Disbursements Help Ease Newly Released Inmates’ Transition Back Into Society

Tyler Technologies worked with the Idaho Department of Correction to address a labor‑intensive, error‑prone release pay process. The DOC was issuing final disbursements by paper checks for 5–40 releases per day, requiring 2.5–5 hours weekly of printing, signing, mailing and reissuing lost checks; an estimated 20–30% of checks were returned and escheatment processing took up to a week annually.

In 2016 the DOC implemented Tyler’s Release Pay electronic disbursement solution, issuing debit cards at release. The change cut check use and manual entry (about 30 minutes–1 hour saved per day, or 10–20 hours per month), reduced returned payments and follow‑up, sped account closeout to the day before release, and gave former residents immediate access to funds—helping both the agency’s efficiency and inmates’ transition back into the community.

Idaho Department of Correction

Joann Henscheid

Senior Financial Specialist