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
Subject: Send inmate mail
There is no policy that prevents someone with a felony record from writing letters to an inmate. That restriction does not exist. People with felony convictions can and do correspond with incarcerated people without any legal barrier to doing so.
The rules you may be thinking of are two separate and distinct policies that sometimes get confused with each other.
The first is inmate-to-inmate correspondence. Most facilities prohibit or strictly limit mail between two incarcerated people. If both the sender and the...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Yes. The written content of your letters is not restricted in the same way as photos are. You can write as openly and intimately as you want without worrying about the letter being rejected at the mail room.
The distinction that matters is between words and images. Explicit written content in a letter is permitted. Explicit photos are not. Staff inspects all incoming mail, but a letter with intimate or suggestive written content will pass through without issue. A photo showing...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
You can write and send letters yourself directly through the US Postal Service without using any third-party service. The only costs involved are the supplies you already have at home, paper and an envelope, and the cost of a postage stamp.
A first-class stamp covers standard domestic mail. Make sure the envelope is addressed with your inmate's full legal name, their inmate ID number, and the complete facility mailing address. That is all that is required.
One thing worth knowing: a handwritten...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Beautiful 4"x6" color photos on glossy paper printed to the edge in a vibrant finish. They are brilliant!!
Subject: Send inmate mail
We estimate that it takes about 2-3 business days to arrive in the facility mail room. Once there, the staff opens each piece for contraband. Be mindful that each facility has their own set of rules as to how long they have to actually deliver the mail to inmates at "mail call"
Subject: Send inmate mail
Even if an inmate has no money in their account, most jails still make sure they can write home.
Facilities typically provide:
Basic paper and pencils for writing
Access to what is called indigent mail
What is indigent mail:
If an inmate has little or no funds for a certain period of time, the jail will usually:
Provide a limited number of stamps and envelopes
Allow them to send basic letters, often to immediate family
There are usually limits, such as:
A set number of letters per week
Restrictions on who they can write
The...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Yes, you should receive an email notification when your inmate sends you a letter through the InmateAid Response Service.
Here is how it works:
Your inmate mails the letter to the InmateAid address
It is received, scanned, and uploaded to your account
You are sent an email alert letting you know there is a letter waiting
You can then log into your Account Dashboard to view, download, or manage the letter.
If you are not seeing notifications:
Check your spam or junk folder
Make sure your email address is entered correctly in your account
Log into...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
It is not a good idea and in many facilities it will get your letter rejected before it ever reaches your inmate.
Perfume and cologne on mail are prohibited at most correctional facilities because scent can be used to mask the smell of drugs or other contraband during mail room inspections. Many facilities post this restriction explicitly in their mail policies, and officers who detect a scented letter will often discard or return it without delivering it.
Lipstick impressions on envelopes or...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
We estimate that it takes about 3 business days to arrive in the
facility mail room. Once there, the staff opens each piece for
contraband. Be mindful that each facility has their own set of rules as
to how long they have to actually deliver the mail. For instance,
the CDCR in California has up to 14 days from receipt. This is a drastic
example, but the prison business is not normal and the rules are like a
moving target....
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Once your inmate's letter arrives at InmateAid, it is scanned and posted to your account dashboard the same day it is received. You will get an email notification as soon as it is uploaded so you know it is there waiting for you.
The part that takes time is the postal delivery, not the processing on our end. Once the letter leaves the facility it travels through the regular US mail system, which typically takes a few days to a week...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Every inmate wants sexy pictures of their mate. You cannot have any nudity. The photos that will make it past screening are bikini, lingerie type photos where no private parts are showing.
Subject: Send inmate mail
We have a "greeting card" service on the website. Log onto your account and click on http://www.inmateaid.com/pages/details/send-inmate-birthday-cards-holiday-greetings-cards and it'll take you where you need to be.
Subject: Send inmate mail
Forwarding books or packages:
County jails almost never forward mail or packages if an inmate has been moved. If you send a book from Amazon and your inmate is transferred before it arrives, it will usually:
Be returned to the sender, or
Be rejected or lost in the system
Forwarding is rare and typically only happens within certain systems, not at the county jail level.
What you should do instead:
Try to confirm the inmate’s current location before ordering
If already shipped, monitor tracking and contact the seller if needed
Sending letters:
Yes, you can...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
The inmateAID service is not email, it is postal mail. The estimated time for delivery is 1-3 business days. There are potential delays once inside the mail room as the staff opens all mail inspecting for contraband. If you have questions about inmate ID or location, you can use the inmate locator for that facility page inside inmateAID or their jurisdiction (federal or state). If you need our help, just ask!
Subject: Send inmate mail
The same rules that apply at jails and prisons apply at correctional boot camps. All incoming mail is opened and inspected by staff, and any photos containing nudity will be confiscated before they ever reach your family member.
The line is the same across virtually every correctional setting: bikinis and lingerie are permitted as long as private areas are covered. Anything that crosses into explicit nudity gets rejected at the mail room, and in some cases repeated attempts to send prohibited...
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