Send Inmate Mail — Ask the Inmate
A letter from home arriving at mail call is one of the most powerful moments in an incarcerated person's day. It is proof that someone on the outside is thinking about them, that life is continuing, and that there is something worth coming home to. But sending mail to a correctional facility involves rules that vary by institution and mistakes can mean your letter never arrives. This section covers how to address mail correctly for federal and state facilities, what the mailroom screening process looks like and how long it adds to delivery time, what content is and is not permitted in letters, how to send photos and why sending them through InmateAid's service is more reliable than printing and mailing them yourself, how to send mail from outside the United States, and what the InmateAid return letter service does for inmates who want to write back. The guidance here makes sure every letter you send reaches its destination. See also our sections on Inmate Care Packages, Send Books and Magazines, and Inmate Phone Calls.
Related InmateAid Services
We post on the site and in the confirmation email that the mail is sent through the US Postal Service and takes 2-3 business days to reach the facility. The letters and photos are mailed from Miami FL, the postcards, greeting cards are mailed from San Francisco CA and the magazines are mailed directly from the publishers so the delivery times will vary depending on the destination. Also, be mindful that the mail is received at the prison or jail
Read more2-3 days and yes they can respond using our address on your behalf
Read moreYour female inmate is able to receive letters and pictures in Garza. If you would like to use our Service to send them, please let us know and we'll give you a coupon for your first transaction. Email us at aid@inmateaid.com
Read morethey are sent via the USPS and are received in the mailroom before being handed out at "mail call".
Read moreNot advisable. The jails and prisons are cracking down on "hand-made cards" because they have discovered the ingenious ways letter-writers are introducing drugs in the ink. The dried ink, one licked will activate the drug. The feds are onto this and will not allow "homemade cards". InmateAid has a solution, we have postcards and greeting cards that ARE allowed and will get your message across to your inmate.
Read moreThe reply depends on the inmate
Read moreLet us know and we will resend it. They don't always forward the mail, and by resending it we ensure your loved one will definitely get it.
Read more2-3 days, once in the mailroom it's up to the staff to hand it out at mail call, usually the same day it's received.
Read moreNo, there are no lists where female inmates can communicate with male inmates. Any contact or communication attempts between inmates are strictly prohibited. There are, however, services where an inmate can post his name and personal info to prospective pen pals. These are women wishing to write inmates but are not inmates themselves.
Read moreThere are no restrictions on incoming postal mail
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