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
You can send any kind of pictures EXCEPT, nudity - drugs, alcohol or gang related material like specific type tattoos. Women like sending sexy pictures, anything will work as long as you are wearing something (like in a bikini or lingerie) but your private parts must be covered.
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 moreOnly you know if you should write him. If you are still thinking about him even after you let him down, your only risk is that he doesn't write back. You will never know until you try. You know you want to, go ahead give it a shot - we feel strongly that he will be happy to hear from you. You might also [include a few nice pictures](https://www.inmateaid.com/letters) of yourself - see if the old sparks ignite in him
Read moreThere is no limit to the number of pictures as far as we know. Normally, if there are limits, the facility will post them. Inmates will receive their mail even during lock-down.
Read moreYou can absolutely send photos directly through USPS on your own. Nothing is stopping you from printing photos and mailing them yourself as long as they meet the facility's requirements for incoming mail. The things to watch for when sending on your own are the photo format, paper type, and content restrictions specific to the facility. Most prisons require actual photo stock rather than regular printer paper, standard sizing like 4 inch by 6 inch prints, no nudity or
Read moreLetters 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 and reads each piece of mail and inspects it for contraband. Once they decide the mail is fit to be handed out at mail call, your inmate will receive it. Any delay that occurs at the facility is out of our control. We make
Read moreyes, just keep it simple without any moving parts or sparkle on it. The least fancy, the more likely it'll get there.
Read moreThe inmates do not need an account, they will receive the mail in 2-3 business days but delays often happen as the staff decides when the mail is handed out
Read moreInmates are allowed to receive an unlimited amount of photos in the federal system (BOP) and an unlimited amount of photos in the Arizon State Prison Complex (ASPC) system
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 more