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
It is possible, but not reliable.
Most facilities require the inmate ID number on all incoming mail to make sure it is delivered to the correct person. Without it, the mailroom has to rely only on the inmate’s name, which can create confusion.
What can happen:
The mailroom staff may figure out who it belongs to and deliver it
Or they may return it to sender for missing required information
In some cases, it may be held or delayed while they try to verify
Why the ID number matters:
Many inmates have similar or...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Mailed means the letter left InmateAid and entered the US Postal Service that day. It has not been delivered yet. The estimated delivery date on the site reflects when the letter is expected to be sent out, not when it arrives at the facility.
From the point it is mailed, expect another 2 to 3 business days for it to reach the jail or prison. Once it gets there, it does not go straight to your inmate. The facility mailroom staff...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Yes, sexy pictures are perfectly okay. We process lots of bikini and lingerie photos from the loved ones of inmates and they are acceptable and appreciated by the recipient.
Subject: Send inmate mail
Postcards are processed immediately upon entry unless after 6pm on Saturday, those will process Monday morning. We estimate that it takes 2-3 business days to make it to the jail. Once there, the staff reads each piece of incoming mail. 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...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Our postcard service is not an email. This is a postcard printed on both sides of the card, one side is your message, the other side are your pictures (up to four). We mail them into the prison and they are handed out by the staff when they normally give mail to inmates.
Subject: Send inmate mail
it's 50/50, some mail room staff will only deliver the mail to the inmate with an inmate ID number. we highly recommend having an inmate ID number for all correspondence.
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
Whether mail gets forwarded from a distribution or transit facility to the permanent destination depends on the timing and the specific facility's mail handling procedures.
If your grandson had already been transferred out when the letter arrived the mailroom at the distribution center may forward it to his new location, return it to the sender, or in some cases, simply hold it. There is no universal standard that guarantees forwarding between facilities and the outcome often depends on how current the...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
The search coming up empty the day after a transfer is completely normal. State DOC databases can take anywhere from 24 to 72 hours to update after a move, sometimes longer over weekends or holidays. The fact that you know he arrived at Caldwell yesterday is reliable enough information to work from while the system catches up.
On the inmate number question, Louisiana state inmates typically retain their DOC number throughout their entire incarceration, regardless of which facility they are housed...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Yes, $1.49
Subject: Send inmate mail
Inmates do NOT have access to the Internet (unlless they have a smuggled smartphone which is highly illegal but more prevalent than you'd think), therefore they don't have access to Facebook. BUT, there are small businesses popping up where an inmate may pay for a person on the outside to update their social media pages. Or it can be done without a fee if someone (maybe a family member) is willing to do it for you. Using Facebook through Trulincs...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
The user of the site. The inmate pays nothing
Subject: Send inmate mail
The no-record result is almost certainly a timing issue, not a sign that something is wrong. When someone is freshly booked, jail databases can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days to update and become searchable. The news article confirming he is at Lehigh County Jail is reliable enough to go on in the meantime.
Mail is one of the most protected things in the jail and prison world. It is treated as a fundamental right for...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Yes, that is no problem. We are able to send "sexy" pictures but none that show ANY private parts. Bikini and lingerie is normally no problem and they get delivered to the inmate just fine.
