The mail process — pictures to inmates

You may wonder if it’s worth it to send physical mail to your beloved inmate. The simple answer is: of course it is.

Sending mail to an incarcerated loved one is different from sending “regular” mail. There are a few key points to keep in mind when sending mail or pictures to inmates:

• The correct mailing address is critical. Most facilities won’t forward your mail if it’s incorrectly labeled, which leads to delays — the more information you provide, the better.
• Prisons handle their mail a little differently. Some facilities only have one mailbox that receives regular inmate mail and legal and administrative mail. This requires time and bandwidth for prison staff to sort and process the mail.
• After inspection, the mail is either approved or denied. Your loved one will receive it at mail call if it's approved. If it’s denied, it’ll be returned to sender.

Prisons typically receive mail within a few days to a week, depending on where it’s sent from. When you send photos through Pelipost, the facility receives your pictures within 5-7 days.

‍Once it reaches the facility, things get a little trickier. Every correctional facility has its own process for handling mail — some more efficient than others.

Ensuring your incarcerated loved one’s mailing address is the best way to get mail to them — be as specific as possible. This can include their DIV #, Bunk #, Cell #, etc.

It’s also worth noting what is and isn’t allowed in the facility to minimize the risk of your mail being denied.

When sending mail to an incarcerated loved one, you should know your rights.

Inmates are protected by the First Amendment and have the right to send and receive mail while incarcerated — as well as the right to freedom of speech.

They have the right to read books and magazines, to call or write to loved ones, and the right to criticize government or state officials.

While incarcerated people are protected under this amendment, there are censorship regulations to be aware of. Non-privileged mail — i.e., letters from family and friends — can be opened and censored by prison officials without a warrant for security reasons.

While this is true, you still have the right to send photos to inmates in prison.

You can take steps to avoid mail censorship in prison.

• Avoid descriptions and images of drugs and paraphernalia.
• Avoid photos and language about weapons, gangs, and other forms of violence.
• Avoid sexually explicit or nudity, especially involving children who aren’t fully clothes.
• Avoid photos involving hand signs, including a peace sign or thumbs up.
• Avoid descriptions or images of money.