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. Correctional facilities do not forward mail after an inmate is released or paroled. Any mail that arrives after release is returned to the sender stamped Released. Update the mailing address as soon as a release date is confirmed to avoid losing important correspondence in transit.
Subject: Send inmate mail
It depends on the facility and the circumstances that are in place when the mail arrives. We estimate that it takes 2-3 business days to get to the mail room. Once there, the staff opens each piece of mail, usually reads the contents of the message for threats or salacious photos. There can be no inmate-to-inmate correspondence or inference. This process sometimes delays the actual mail call delivery.
Subject: Send inmate mail
The envelope displays the sender's name and InmateAid's return address through the window. An InmateAid logo appears on the envelope so the inmate knows who it is from. There are no marketing inserts of any kind, only what you write and the photos you upload.
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...
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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...
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