Why Didn't My Inmate Receive the Letters and Photos I Sent?

When one letter gets through and another is refused at the same facility, the issue is almost certainly content-related rather than an addressing or ID problem. If the address or ID were wrong, neither letter would have arrived.

Facilities inspect all incoming mail and mail room staff have discretion to reject anything they determine violates the facility's mail policy. What triggers a refusal varies by facility and by the individual officer reviewing the mail that day. Content that references ongoing legal matters, discusses prohibited activity, contains coded language, or is interpreted as inappropriate in any way can result in rejection without detailed explanation to the sender.

InmateAid will investigate and notify you when a rejection is received. If you are not sure what in the letter caused the refusal, the facility's mail room is the right place to call and ask directly. They are not always forthcoming, but asking specifically what policy the letter violated gives you the best chance of getting a useful answer before sending again.

When resending, keeping the content straightforward and free of anything that could be misread in a security context is the safest approach.