Abstract: Systems or methods for managing transactions within a controlled environment facility provide an information management engine integrating transaction functionality and telephone calling functionality, establish an account associated with a resident of the controlled environment facility, and use the information management engine to conduct transactions associated with residents of the controlled environment facility. The transactions include at least requests, by the resident, for deposits into the account by a party outside of the controlled environment facility. The systems or methods accept requests from the resident and utilize the telephone calling services of the information management engine to facilitate the request for deposit. The systems or methods may place calls to the individuals outside the controlled environment facility to interact with the individual, request the deposit and accept such deposits.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which utilize information communication systems for transaction and information management. According to embodiments, an automated information management engine is provided enabling and facilitating the purchase of goods and services through various payment options resulting in increased profitability and visibility safely, securely and conveniently. Embodiments utilize a telephony system, and/or other information communication system, having access terminals disposed within a controlled environment facility for use by residents thereof to conduct transactions or other desirable exchanges of information, goods, services, etcetera. Embodiments provide integration across various aspects of transaction and information management, such as prepaid account management, collect calling services, and commissary services, to thereby facilitate seamless user interaction for account deposit, account status inquiry, commissary ordering, and collect calling.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which allow a calling party to store messages for a called party even if the called party does not already have message storage facilities, provided the calling party and/or called party meet certain parameters. Delivery of the message is controlled by the called party and may require the called party to agree to pay for the message delivery service. In a further embodiment, a call processing system is operable to screen outgoing calls from various callers according to a first set of criteria and if a call is not completed to a called party a second set of criteria is used to determine if a message can be stored awaiting retrieval by the called party. If desired, a return message from a called party to a calling party can be stored.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the dissemination of information from a controlled environment facility employ facility information management functionality managing resident information and facility information, and call manager functionality selectively providing at least a portion of the resident information and/or the facility information to an outside party in an automated manner. The invention may employ outgoing IVR functionality to provide select portions of the resident information in response to the call manager recognizing that a call is a first call by a resident, or a first call to a particular telephone number by a resident. The invention may manage information related to providers of services or goods for residents of a facility, provide an outside party this information, and notify a selected provider of selection of that provider by the outside party to provide goods or services for a resident.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide intelligent queuing with respect to processing transaction records. According to one embodiment, transaction records, such as collect calling records, are initially processed to a point that they are ready for release to an appropriate third party for further processing, billing, and/or collection, and are submitted to a queue. Queued transaction records preferably have initial queuing period information associated therewith. Embodiments dynamically change such queuing period information while a transaction record is pending in the queue, such as based upon further intelligence collected with respect to the party to the transaction, based upon subsequent transaction behavior, etcetera.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods in which call intelligence, such as may be disposed in communication with signaling systems utilized in controlling calls, is used to provide information for making determinations with respect to the treatment of calls. Call intelligence may be coupled to or disposed within such networks to receive signaling therefrom and/or transmit signaling thereto for determining the appropriate treatment of a call and, preferably, controlling the treatment of a call in accordance with such determination. Signaling messages received by call intelligence may be utilized to determine that a particular calling activity (e.g., enhanced calling service such as call forwarding or three-way calling) is being employed, to collect data with respect to a call, and the like.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide techniques providing account setup, management and transaction authorization determinations in real-time using transaction interrupt messaging. Embodiments preferably take into consideration the quality of one or more parties to the transaction and the means by which charges may be rendered to them when making account setup, management, and/or transaction authorization determinations. Accordingly, transactions, such as collect calls, meeting at least some minimal risk threshold may be completed on a first call attempt, even where a pre-arranged billing agreement or other business relationship is not previously in place.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method of offering a service to a user. The method comprises receiving a dialed number from a request to initiate a collect telephone call from an origination source; processing the dialed number to determine whether payment may be received for the collect telephone call, wherein the processing blocks the collect call and stores the dialed number when the processing determines that payment may not be received for the collect telephone call; and establishing a telephone connection with the dialed number to communicate an offer for the service to a user associated with the dialed number.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method of offering a service to a user. The method comprises receiving a dialed number from a request to initiate a collect telephone call from an origination source; processing the dialed number to determine whether payment may be received for the collect telephone call, wherein the processing blocks the collect call and stores the dialed number when the processing determines that payment may not be received for the collect telephone call; and establishing a telephone connection with the dialed number to communicate an offer for the service to a user associated with the dialed number.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing profitability is provided disclosing an intelligent customer scoring system (iCSS) for receiving a telephone number and transaction request. When the iCSS receives an initial transaction request, it accesses local information related to the number to predict a real-time initial customer score, wherein the requested initial transaction is allowed in real-time based on a comparison of the initial customer score, an expected profitability of the transaction, and a predetermined threshold level. The iCSS accesses information related to the number and the profitability of the transactions to refine the customer score. When the iCSS receives a subsequent transaction request, it is allowed or denied by comparing the refined customer score and expected profitability with the predetermined threshold.