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.
Subject: Send inmate mail
No, 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.
Subject: Send inmate mail
Inmates 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 inmate would...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Include the inmate's name, their ID number and mailing address of the facility.
Subject: Send inmate mail
The 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.
Subject: Send inmate mail
NO, 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.
Subject: Send inmate mail
Inmates 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 inmate...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Mail is handed out Monday through Friday
Subject: Send inmate mail
InmateAid's service is not email; it is with the US Postal Service. Inmates do not have Internet access. 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...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
The InmateaID Letter and Photo Service is a fantastic way for international loved ones to reach an inmate quickly and reliably. You should set up a member/user account and then add your inmate's profile to your account. Once that is set up, your letter will be synced to the prison where they are being held. If you need specific questions answered on the set-up or the payment please email us at Aid@inmateAID.com
