If someone you love is locked up in Maryland, staying connected by mail is encouraged by the state - DPSCS explicitly says it "supports and embraces" family contact. But the mail rules have a detailed prohibited items list, and a few of them catch families off guard. No stickers of any kind, including address labels. No paint, crayon, marker, glitter, cloth, or string. No hard-cover books. No lipstick on envelopes. These prohibitions are spelled out on the official DPSCS mail page and apply to all Maryland correctional facilities.
Maryland does not use a centralized mail scanner. Mail goes directly to the facility where the incarcerated individual is housed. Every envelope must include the facility's acronym, which DPSCS assigns to each institution, and the sender's name and return address.
Maryland DPSCS refers to incarcerated people as "incarcerated individuals" throughout its materials.
This article covers Maryland DPSCS correctional and detention facilities. Maryland county detention centers operate under county jurisdiction and are addressed at the end.
Sending mail - letters and correspondence
Mail goes directly to the facility. Each envelope must include:
- The incarcerated individual's facility acronym (required)
- The sender's name and return address
Find the individual's current facility and SID number using the Incarcerated Individual Locator at dpscs.maryland.gov/services/ii-locator.shtml. Find facility addresses in the table below.
Prohibited items in mail
The following may not be included in or on any piece of mail sent to a Maryland correctional or detention facility:
Anything glued, taped, or otherwise attached to the letter
Aftermarket alterations including paint, crayon, marker, ink, glitter, cloth, or string
Labels or stickers of any kind, including address labels (postage is the exception, and may be removed by staff)
A biohazard, illicit substance, scent, or lipstick
A liquid stain
Any sexually explicit material
Material involving, suggesting, depicting, or inciting criminal gang activity, violence, riots, racism, or threats to facility security
Messages that appear to be written in code
Actual or described escape plans
Instructions for making or using weapons or devices to inflict harm
Information for making illegal substances such as alcohol or drugs
Information about correctional facility security systems
Instructions to violate facility rules or encourage a breach of security
Materials advocating for incarcerated individual unions
Contraband of any kind
Cash, money orders, checks, or stamps
Books: mailed books may not have a hard cover, removed or torn pages, reattached pages, or removed or reattached book covers.
Facility addresses
All DPSCS detention and correctional facilities, with their required acronyms:
DETENTION FACILITIES:
BCBIC - Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center
300 East Madison Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
BPC - Baltimore Pretrial Complex
531 East Madison Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
CDF - Chesapeake Detention Facility
410 East Madison Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
MTC - Metropolitan Transition Center
954 Forrest Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
YDC - Youth Detention Center
926 Greenmount Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21202
CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES:
BCCC - Baltimore City Correctional Center
901 Greenmount Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21202
CMCF - Central Maryland Correctional Facility
7301 Buttercup Road, Sykesville, MD 21784
CMHC-J - Correctional Mental Health Center - Jessup
7555 Waterloo Road, Jessup, MD 20794
DRCF - Dorsey Run Correctional Facility
2020 Toulson Road, Jessup, MD 20794
ECI - Eastern Correctional Institution
30420 Revells Neck Road, Westover, MD 21890
EPRU - Eastern Pre-Release Unit
700 Flat Iron Square Road, Church Hill, MD 21623
JCI - Jessup Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 534, Jessup, MD 20794
MCI-H - Maryland Correctional Institution - Hagerstown
18601 Roxbury Road, Hagerstown, MD 21746
MCI-J - Maryland Correctional Institution - Jessup
7803 House of Corrections Road, Jessup, MD 20794
MCI-W - Maryland Correctional Institution for Women
7943 Brockbridge Road, Jessup, MD 20794
MCTC - Maryland Correctional Training Center
18800 Roxbury Road, Hagerstown, MD 21746
MRDCC - Maryland Reception, Diagnostic, and Classification Center
550 East Madison Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
NBCI - North Branch Correctional Institution
14100 McMullen Highway SW, Cumberland, MD 21502
PATX - Patuxent Institution
7555 Waterloo Road, Jessup, MD 20794
RCI - Roxbury Correctional Institution
18701 Roxbury Road, Hagerstown, MD 21746
SMPRU - Southern Maryland Pre-Release Unit
14320 Oaks Road, Charlotte Hall, MD 20622
WCI - Western Correctional Institution
13800 McMullen Highway SW, Cumberland, MD 21502
Sending packages - Access Securepak
Packages to Maryland DPSCS incarcerated individuals are handled exclusively through Access Securepak. Families cannot send their own packages directly.
Order methods:
Online: marylandpackage.com
Phone: 1-800-546-6283 (automated 24/7; live bilingual agents Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-11:59 p.m. EST, Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. EST)
Mail: Access Securepak (MD), 10880 Linpage Place, St. Louis, MO 63132
Accepted payments: Visa, Mastercard, Discover; prepaid cards with a verifiable U.S. address; cashier's check; money order. No personal checks.
Maximum $100 of product per incarcerated individual per quarter. Multiple orders can be placed and will be consolidated not to exceed that limit.
There is 6% sales tax on hygiene items, candy, and processing fees.
Sending money - Lockbox and Access Corrections
Two deposit options:
Lockbox (money orders, approved vendor checks, official business checks only):
Make the money order payable to the incarcerated individual. Include the individual's name, facility name or abbreviation, SID number, and your full name and return address. Use black or blue ink only. Mail to:
DPSCS Lockbox
P.O. Box 17111
Baltimore, MD 21297-0382
Processing: 2-7 business days from receipt; up to 10 days including mail delivery. Holds are placed on $250 or more for 30 days. Non-refundable. Multiple money orders may be sent in one envelope. Do not include cards, letters, magazines, notes, or packages - those go directly to the facility.
Access Corrections (electronic deposits):
Online at accesscorrections.com - starting at $2.95
Phone: 1-866-345-1884 - starting at $3.95
Accepts Mastercard and Visa debit and credit cards.
Lockbox deposit questions: Call 410-540-6221, 410-540-6222, or 410-540-6223. Or email the appropriate banking contact for your person's facility (see dpscs.maryland.gov/inmateservs/banking_services.shtml).
Phone calls - ConnectNetwork
ConnectNetwork is DPSCS's authorized phone account management portal for all Maryland correctional facilities. DPSCS does not set up phone accounts - ConnectNetwork handles all account creation and support.
ConnectNetwork customer service: 877-650-4249 or web.connectnetwork.com/contact-us
Two phone account types:
AdvancePay - A prepaid collect calling service funded by the person on the outside. Only your phone number can receive calls funded by your account. Set up and fund your account at connectnetwork.com or call 800-483-8314. Low-balance alerts and auto-reload available.
PIN Debit - The incarcerated individual's own phone account, which they fund from their commissary/trust account. Friends and family may also make deposits directly to the PIN Debit account through a ConnectNetwork account. Unused funds are refunded upon release.
Maryland county detention centers
Maryland has 23 counties plus Baltimore City, each operating its own detention center. These facilities are not part of DPSCS and have their own mail and deposit rules. Contact the specific county detention center directly for current information.
What to know before you send anything
Mail goes directly to the facility - include the facility acronym and your full return address on the envelope.
No stickers of any kind (including address labels), no glitter, no paint or marker art, no lipstick, no stamps inside, no cash, no hard-cover books.
Find the individual's facility and SID number at dpscs.maryland.gov/services/ii-locator.shtml.
Books: paperback only, no removed or reattached pages or covers.
Packages through Access Securepak only at marylandpackage.com or 1-800-546-6283; $100 max per quarter.
Money: Lockbox money orders to P.O. Box 17111, Baltimore MD 21297-0382 (2-7 business days); or Access Corrections online at accesscorrections.com or 866-345-1884.
Phone: ConnectNetwork - 877-650-4249 or web.connectnetwork.com. AdvancePay for prepaid collect calls to your number; PIN Debit for calls funded by the incarcerated individual.
Related pages:
/prisons/maryland
How to send money to a Maryland inmate
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Where do I mail a letter to a Maryland DPSCS inmate?
Directly to the facility where they are housed. Include the facility acronym and your full return address on the envelope. Find the individual's location and SID using the Incarcerated Individual Locator at dpscs.maryland.gov/services/ii-locator.shtml. All 22 facility addresses are listed above.
What is the facility acronym and why does it need to be on the envelope?
Each DPSCS facility has an assigned abbreviation (such as ECI, WCI, NBCI). The acronym is required on all mail - it's part of the official addressing format.
Can I put stickers or decorations on my letter?
No. The DPSCS prohibited list explicitly includes labels or stickers of any kind (including address labels), glitter, paint, crayon, marker, cloth, and string. Postage is allowed but may be removed. Mail that violates these rules may be rejected.
Can I send a hardcover book?
No. Books mailed to Maryland DPSCS facilities must be paperback. Hard covers, and books with removed, torn, or reattached pages or covers, are prohibited.
How do I send a care package?
Through Access Securepak only. Order online at marylandpackage.com or call 1-800-546-6283. The limit is $100 of product per incarcerated individual per quarter.
How do I send money?
By money order to the Lockbox (P.O. Box 17111, Baltimore MD 21297-0382, with the individual's name, facility, SID, and your name/address) or electronically through Access Corrections at accesscorrections.com or 866-345-1884.
How do I set up phone calls?
Through ConnectNetwork at web.connectnetwork.com or 877-650-4249. Set up an AdvancePay account (prepaid collect - your number only) or contribute to a PIN Debit account (funded by the incarcerated individual). DPSCS does not handle phone account setup. ====================================================================