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
Yes, you can try on your own, but there are some issues that might cause you to want to try out our Letters and Photos Service. Inmates find it difficult to send mail out of the country due to postage issues. Our Service allows you to write letters and send high-quality pictures through our app. The mail is delivered from Florida or California depending on the inmate's location. The inmate can then write you back to our address in Florida.
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Read moreThey come from Florida and California through an automated system. They are mailed from these places because that is where they are produced
Read moreIt takes a solid week before your inmate can communicate with you, but you can send something now, and they will get it when they go to "mail call".
Read moreNo, the return address is that of InmateAid in Florida. Your name is at the top with the Company's address below. If you want to provide your address to the inmate, you can add it in your letter. Most people like the safety of not having their home address on an envelope in a prison or jail.
Read moreSending newspapers to an inmate is possible and staying connected to the outside world through current events is something many inmates genuinely value during a long sentence. There are two ways to approach it depending on whether you want a national publication or a local newspaper from home. For national newspapers InmateAid offers subscriptions to several publications including the Wall Street Journal and USA Today, two of the most popular choices among incarcerated readers. You can set up
Read moreprinted on glossy photo paper to the edge... sent by US Mail into the prison or jail with InmateAid's return address
Read moreThey can be naughty but you cannot expose your private parts. You can take some selfies and upload them here on the website and we have them printed and mailed to your inmate immediately
Read moreYes and No. The Letter Package doesn't come with pictures, but you can buy the Picture Package for the same price and it allows you a letter with the photos you include
Read moreInmates have no access to the internet, however there are some facilities that allow inmate email. This is not an "open internet", but a closed system where all email correspondence is on a 2-3 hour delay and everything is closely monitored.
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