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
In most cases, mail is not forwarded when an inmate is transferred to a new facility.
What usually happens:
The mailroom checks the inmate location
If the inmate is no longer there, the letter is typically returned to sender
Some facilities may discard it if there is no valid return address
Why mail is not forwarded:
Facilities do not coordinate mail between institutions
Transfers can happen quickly and without notice
Each facility operates independently
If you are using InmateAid:
You can notify support with the new facility and inmate ID
The letter can be resent...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
The most common obstacle people run into when trying to send mail is not knowing the exact facility address or the inmate's full registration number, both of which are required for mail to be delivered correctly.
The first step is pinning down which facility your loved one is in. Aaron Hernandez is a common name and without knowing the state it is nearly impossible to narrow down which facility and which person you are looking for. There are inmates by that...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
It has to be on prison-approved glossy photo paper, no more that 4" x 6" in size. InmateAid uses the correct paper but if you have the equipment at home you can do it your self. Let us know if you'd like a coupon code to try the service out, on the house!
Subject: Send inmate mail
Mail is considered sacred in a prison, detention
center or jail.
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. Any delay that occurs at the facility is out of our control.
We make no guarantees as to how long it will take as there are thousands of
facilities and...
Read moreSubject: 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
Yes, ALL mail is opened and read for content and the pictures are scrutinized before it is handed to the inmate at mail call.
Subject: Send inmate mail
Once a letter has been submitted and moves into the automated processing queue, there is no mechanism to intercept or cancel it. The system is designed for speed and efficiency, which means letters move quickly from submission to print to dispatch. By the time a cancellation request reaches anyone, the letter has typically already been processed.
What you can do is log into your InmateAid account, navigate to Letters to Inmates, and open the letter to see exactly what was printed...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
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 no guarantees as to how long it will take as there are thousands of facilities and none...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Yes. The service is called Inmate Response, your inmate can write you using the return address of inmateAid which is on the letter they receive from you. If you did not provide your address or do not want it known, they will write you back through us. Our members love the privacy and security that InmateAid provides.
Subject: Send inmate mail
Absolutely. There is nothing stopping you from writing a letter, putting a stamp on it, and dropping it in the mailbox yourself. The postal service delivers to correctional facilities the same as anywhere else.
Where people run into trouble is not knowing the specific mailing requirements for the facility their loved one is in. Every prison has its own rules about what is and is not allowed in incoming mail. Some require the inmate's full name and register number on the...
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