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
Thank you for the kind words. No account number is needed for inmates to respond to you, just c/o InmateAid is all they need. InmateAid.com 6803 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, FL 3363
Subject: Send inmate mail
Yes, you have it exactly right.
With the InmateAid “Letters From Inmates” service, your inmate writes to the InmateAid address instead of your personal address. From there, the process works like this:
The inmate mails the letter to the InmateAid address
InmateAid receives the letter
The letter is scanned and uploaded to your account
You get an email notification that your letter is ready to view
You then log in and read it online, without needing a permanent mailing address.
This setup is especially useful if:
You are relocating or do not...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Mail is received at the facility mail room. The staff opens each piece searching for contraband and that the inmate number matches the name. Time permitting, the mail is passed out later that day at "mail call".
Subject: Send inmate mail
If your payment went through and the page cycled back to a pay screen without confirmation, do not panic. This is a known issue that occasionally happens during letter processing, and it is handled quickly.
A couple of things to know right away.
If the letter content came through blank on our end, we will reach out to you directly. You will be given the option to rewrite and resubmit your letter or receive a full refund. Nothing gets lost permanently, and...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Yes, when you send a letter through InmateAid, the inmate can tell it came from the service. The envelope includes the InmateAid name and return address, so it is clearly identified.
When your inmate writes back, they send their reply to the InmateAid address shown on the envelope. Once received, the letter is scanned and uploaded to your account.
Here is how the reply process works:
The inmate mails their response to the InmateAid return address
The letter is scanned into your account
You receive...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
It depends on the mood of the prison staff at the time. Generally the mail gets to the right inmate if the number is correct, but if it is ever returned - we notify you and resend the corrected letter.
Subject: Send inmate mail
Once you send a letter through InmateAid, processing and delivery to federal facilities typically takes one to two business days. The mail goes out quickly and InmateAid has established relationships with facilities across the country that help keep the process moving smoothly.
On the return side, yes, your inmate can write back to InmateAid's address. Many inmates do exactly that, particularly when the person writing to them prefers to keep their home address private. When a reply arrives at our address,...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Delivery time depends on when you placed the order. Letters and photos ordered on a Sunday go out on Monday, since mail processing does not run over the weekend. From there, delivery to the facility typically takes one to three business days depending on location.
Mail call at most facilities happens once a day, usually around 5:00 PM. So even after a letter arrives at the facility, your inmate will not receive it until the next scheduled mail call.
If you ordered...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
At USP Beaumont, inmate email is handled through the federal system called TRULINCS, which is accessed by the public through CorrLinks.
Here is how it works:
Inmates must add you to their approved contact list
You will receive an email invitation from CorrLinks to accept the connection
Once approved, you can exchange messages through the system
If his email appears “blocked” or you are not receiving messages, it is usually because:
You have not yet accepted the CorrLinks request
He has not added your email correctly
The contact is still pending staff approval
The message is under...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate mail
Inmates appreciate people writing to them and sending them pictures. Some people LOVE writing to inmates that have recently been in the news. It can be fun to have a famous pen pal who writes back. There are thousands of inmates in our system - make a new pen pal!
