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
When you have completed your letter and are going to checkout, underneath your inmate's name and address it says: **Estimated** **mailing** **date**: an actual date (xx/xx/2016), *How* *long* *will* *my* *letter* *take* *to* *arrive* *?* When you click it, it gives this explanation: Letters are processed immediately upon entry unless after 6pm on Saturday, those letters will process Monday morning. We estimate that it takes 2-3 business days to make it to the jail. Once there, the staff opens
Read moreWe strongly recommend having the inmate ID for all mail correspondence because the staff can reject mail without it. That is not to say they will, but some are more strict with the rules and will use any reason to send things back. We have corrected this in your account and would be more than happy to resend any of them. The ones without an ID go back to 3-28-16. Let us know if he received them, if not we
Read moreThey will have to tell you. The jails do not report back that incoming mail was received. If there are any issues we will resend with no questions asked. Normally it takes 2-3 business days but the staff ultimately has the responsibility of deciding when they hand out the mail. Delays happen sometimes without notice.
Read moreYes, that is no problem :)) We would refrain from speaking about the crime he was convicted of or what you think about law enforcement.
Read moreAll of the mail arriving to the MCI -Shirley mail intake is handled by a very competent staff. They go through and inspect the mail, then create three destination piles before delivering it into the units. If your inmate ID is correct, the staff will make sure that the inmate and the unit match as there is always movement between the different security levels based on conduct, status changes and length of sentence.
Read moreNo, you must send the inmate money so that they can purchase envelopes and stamps at the commissary. Most facilities already provide envelopes, paper and pen/pencils. The inmates buy the postage.
Read moreInmates that have money on their inmate trust accounts can purchase stamps and envelopes at the weekly commissary. If they do not have money on their books, the prison will provide indigent inmates with all the materials necessary to send out mail to their loved ones. If your inmate writes to you directly, using your address, the cost of the mailing is a 49 cent stamp. Many of our members use the Inmate Response Mail service through InmateAid. Your
Read moreInclude the inmate's name, their ID number and mailing address of the facility.
Read moreThe inmate will let you know. These letters are not like registered mail where someone signs for it. They are mailed into the facility and inspected by the staff. After they have decided that the mail is ready to be handed out to the inmates, they distribute it at "mail call". If the mail is rejected for any reason and is returned, we will investigate the reason and let you know possible remedies.
Read moreNO, once the postcard is completed, it is automatically and immediately processed by a third-party. We have no way of stopping it from being mailed once it is paid for.
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