Wisconsin DOC uses TextBehind for centralized scanning of all personal mail. All letters go to a single PO Box in Phoenix, Maryland - not to the facility. Legal mail and packages have separate facility-specific addresses. The Wisconsin DOC refers to incarcerated people as "persons in our care" (PIOC).
Sending personal mail - letters
All personal mail must be sent to TextBehind for processing:
[PIOC full name (first and last)]
[DOC Number]
[Correctional Facility Name - do not abbreviate]
P.O. Box 189
Phoenix, MD 21131
Include a complete sender return name and address. Any envelope with incomplete or missing information is considered undeliverable and returned to sender. Personal mail received directly at the institution will be returned to sender - do not send letters to the facility address.
Find a PIOC's DOC number and facility: Inmate and Offender Search tool at doc.wi.gov/Pages/OffenderInformation/AdultInstitutions/GeneralInformation.aspx
Photos
PIOCs with tablets can receive electronic photos through messaging. Physical photographs cannot be mailed in a personal mail envelope through TextBehind - send photos electronically through the ICS tablet messaging system.
Legal mail - directly to each facility
Legal mail goes directly to the facility - not to the Phoenix MD PO Box. Legal mail is clearly identifiable as coming from:
(a) An attorney
(b) The Governor of Wisconsin
(c) Members of the Wisconsin Legislature
(d) Members of the United States Congress
(e) The Secretary of the DOC
(f) The Administrator of the Division
(g) The Wisconsin Attorney General or an Assistant Attorney General
(h) An investigative agency of the federal government
(i) The clerk or judge of any state or federal court
(j) The President of the United States
Legal mail addresses by facility are listed at doc.wi.gov/Pages/OffenderInformation/AdultInstitutions/MoneyMailProperty.aspx (use the facility drop-down).
Packages and property - directly to each facility
All property items must meet DOC requirements. Property cannot be dropped off by visitors or brought in during visits. All property must be purchased from approved vendor catalogs and shipped directly from retail with a receipt.
For approved vendors and catalogs: doc.wi.gov/Pages/OffenderInformation/AdultInstitutions/GeneralInformation.aspx
Package mailing addresses by facility are listed at doc.wi.gov/Pages/OffenderInformation/AdultInstitutions/MoneyMailProperty.aspx (use the facility drop-down).
Note: St. Croix Correctional Center (SCCC) does not permit packages, with the exception of release clothing.
Specialty Commissary Package Program
Family and friends may purchase approved personal care items for their loved ones quarterly through three vendors. $150 maximum per resident, per vendor, per quarter. $20 minimum per order. Available for general population residents only (not those in reception status).
Three participating vendors:
- Access Securepak (Keefe): accesssecurepak.com
- Jack L. Marcus: jacklmarcus.com
- Union Supply Group (USG): wiinmatepackage.com
Sending money - Access Corrections Secure Deposit
Do not send funds directly to the correctional facility. Funds are received through Access Corrections Secure Deposit and their walk-in affiliate CashPayToday.
Online or phone (fees apply):
AccessCorrections.com or call (866) 345-1884 (bilingual; agents available 24/7). Visa and MasterCard accepted. Daily deposit limit: $2,900.
Walk-in (fees apply; cash only):
CashPayToday.com or call (844) 340-2274. Locations include Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Speedway stores. A list of Wisconsin locations is at doc.wi.gov.
Money order or cashier's check by US Mail (no service fees):
- Make payable to: ACCESS SECURE DEPOSITS
- Write the inmate's DOC number on the check/money order and the deposit slip
- Use blue or black ink; writing must be legible
- Do not include photos or letters in the money envelope - they will be discarded
- Print and complete the Wisconsin DOC Money Order/Check Deposit Slip (available on the DOC website and at facilities)
- Mail to: Secure Deposits - Wisconsin DOC, P.O. Box 12486, St Louis, MO 63132
Phone calls and tablets - ICS
Wisconsin DOC is transitioning to ICS tablets system-wide. The ICS tablet provides phone calls, messaging, electronic photos, and media for PIOCs. For current setup and funding information: doc.wi.gov/Pages/OffenderInformation/AdultInstitutions/GeneralInformation.aspx
Wisconsin county and city jails
Wisconsin's county and city jails are administered separately from DOC facilities and have their own rules. If a person cannot be found through the DOC Inmate and Offender Search, they may be held at a county or city jail. Contact the jail in the county or city of conviction, or check VINELink.
What to know before you send anything
Personal mail: PO Box 189, Phoenix MD 21131, via TextBehind. Include PIOC full name, DOC number, full facility name (no abbreviations), and your full return name and address. Do not mail letters or photos to the facility.
Legal mail: directly to each facility's legal mail address. See facility drop-down at doc.wi.gov/Pages/OffenderInformation/AdultInstitutions/MoneyMailProperty.aspx.
Packages: directly to each facility's package address (same page). Must be from approved vendors, shipped directly from retail with receipt. No packages to St. Croix CC except release clothing.
Specialty commissary: quarterly via Access Securepak, Jack L. Marcus, or Union Supply Group.
Money: Access Corrections at AccessCorrections.com or (866) 345-1884. Walk-in via CashPayToday. No-fee option: money order payable to ACCESS SECURE DEPOSITS, mailed to PO Box 12486, St Louis MO 63132. No funds directly to facility.
Phone/tablets: ICS; see GeneralInformation page at doc.wi.gov.
Electronic photos: via ICS tablet messaging for PIOCs with tablets.
Inmate locator: doc.wi.gov/Pages/OffenderInformation/AdultInstitutions/GeneralInformation.aspx
DOC main: (608) 240-5000
DOC headquarters: 3099 East Washington Ave., Madison WI
Related pages:
/prisons/wisconsin
How to send money to a Wisconsin inmate
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Where do I send a letter to a Wisconsin DOC inmate?
To PO Box 189, Phoenix MD 21131 - the TextBehind scanning address. Include the PIOC's full name, DOC number, full facility name (do not abbreviate), and your complete return name and address. Do not send letters to the facility.
Can I send photos?
Physical photos cannot be sent through TextBehind. PIOCs with tablets can receive electronic photos through the ICS messaging system. Send photos digitally through that platform.
Where do I send legal mail?
Directly to the facility's legal mail address. Look up the address using the facility drop-down at doc.wi.gov/Pages/OffenderInformation/AdultInstitutions/MoneyMailProperty.aspx.
How do I send a package?
Packages must come from approved vendor catalogs and ship directly from retail with a receipt. Package addresses are also at the facility drop-down on the same page. Packages cannot be dropped off or brought in during visits.
How do I send money?
Through AccessCorrections.com or (866) 345-1884 online/by phone. Walk-in at Dollar General, Family Dollar, Speedway via CashPayToday. Or mail a money order payable to ACCESS SECURE DEPOSITS with DOC deposit slip to PO Box 12486, St Louis MO 63132 (no fee). Never send funds to the facility.
How do I set up phone calls?
Through the ICS tablet system being deployed system-wide. See doc.wi.gov/Pages/OffenderInformation/AdultInstitutions/GeneralInformation.aspx for current vendor information and setup. ====================================================================
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