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
Depending upon the facility it could vary but the general mail call time is late afternoon.
Read moreThis is one of the more frustrating situations families encounter, and the fact that every format has been rejected suggests the issue is not about how the photo was sent but about the content itself or a specific facility policy around ultrasound images. Some county pretrial facilities have blanket restrictions on certain types of images that are not always clearly communicated to families. Ultrasound images, particularly 3D and 4D scans, occasionally get flagged by mail room staff who are
Read moreThere is no limit on how many letters an inmate can send. They can write as often as they want as long as they have the supplies to do it. Stamps, paper, and envelopes are purchased through commissary. The more money an inmate has in their account, the more they can write. For inmates with little or no commissary funds, most facilities have an indigent mail program that provides a small allotment of stamps and basic writing materials each
Read moreSome facilities have changed their mail policies to accept postcards only, eliminating standard letters entirely. Hillsborough County Jail in Tampa is one facility that has made this switch. The reason is typically security related. Postcards are easier and faster to inspect for contraband than sealed envelopes, and facilities looking to streamline mail room operations have increasingly moved in this direction. If letters you sent are not reaching your inmate, a policy change at the facility is one of the
Read moreEvery word. Mail is one of the most anticipated parts of an inmate's day, and a letter from someone on the outside gets read carefully and often more than once. Boredom and isolation are two of the hardest parts of incarceration. A letter breaks through both. It is a tangible connection to the world outside, and most inmates will tell you that receiving mail is one of the few things that genuinely lifts the day. Do not worry about
Read moreThe cost is $1.59 for the first photo - additional photos are $1.39. In almost all cases, there is no limit to the number of photos allowed (federal and state no limit). If you want to check with us before sending if they are in a county jail, we will let you know if that particular facility has a limit.
Read morePhotos are printed as 4x6 prints. If the image you uploaded has different proportions than 4x6, the system automatically applies a fit adjustment to make sure the entire image appears on the print without any part of it being cut off. What that means in practice is that the actual image may print slightly smaller than the full 4x6 surface, appearing more like a 4x4 or 4x5 centered on the photo paper with a small border around it. The
Read moreThe InmateAid photos are printed on 4x6 high gloss photo paper - approved for all jails and prisons. These are NOT a printed postcard, they are delivered safely in an envelope directly into the facility. Make sure that you have the inmate's ID (if applicable) and allow 1-3 business days for delivery.
Read moreInmates do not receive mail on weekends. Mail call at correctional facilities runs Monday through Friday only. InmateAid does process and send letters on Saturdays, so an order placed on Saturday goes into the mail that day. However, the postal system does not deliver to facilities on weekends, and facility mail rooms do not distribute incoming mail on Saturdays or Sundays. A letter mailed on Saturday will arrive at the facility on Monday at the earliest and reach your
Read moreYes, your inmate can absolutely send you letters and photos even without internet access, and there is a faster way for you to receive them. With InmateAid’s Response Service, your inmate simply: Writes a normal letter Includes any photos he wants to send Mails everything to the InmateAid address From there: The letter and photos are received and scanned They are uploaded to your account You get a notification and can read them online right away
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