Some of the CDCR approved inmate package vendors are: If you want to learn more about California inmate package rules, DoNotPay can give you all the info you need. Its wise to send only soft cover books to avoid having them returned. Cards that include electronics (like singing cards), cards that have extra thick stock or pop-up features, and cards that include multiple layers are never allowed. Can I Send and Receive Letters via DoNotPay? If a prisoner wants to send letters more often, they need to bear the cost of stamps and other essential items. Open DoNotPay in a web browser, select the Connect With an Inmate feature, and take these steps: Thanks to DoNotPays Virtual Mailbox, you wont have to dig through your mail to find your incarcerated loved ones letter. You can learn more about how you can save money on inmate callshere. CDCR vendor approval is limited to minimum security requirements and general business intent. Charging prisoners to return MIM lit to sender, Books must be softback, 5 books at a time, hardcovers can be removed before shipping. The fee for sending money over the phone ranges from $4.90-$11.90. Sign up for a free account today, and start sending emails immediately. Want To See What Else DoNotPay Can Do for You? When using a single stamp, only 5 photos can be sent at a time. Sending the inmate illegal material may result in revocation of mail rights for the inmate. Stamps Mackerel : 1.25 Band-Aids : 0.65 (Limit $9.40 Total Value) Summer Sausage 1.55 Ben-Gay Ointment 5.20 Shredded Beef : 5.85 Carmex Lip Treatment 1.70 Book of Forever Stamps 9.40 Spam 1.25 Chapstick 3.70 Book of 10 - .01 0.10 Beef Bites 2.30 Prilosec Omeprazole 10.50 . The first method of sending funds through the mail can be done by sending a certified check,money order, personal check, or cashier's check. The second method of receiving inmate calls is through a prepaid service called Global Tel*link. The prison staff check every inmate letter and package, and if they find any contraband, it will be confiscated, thrown away, or returned to the sender. If they are hardcover they will be rejected. If at anytime you are unsure of what you can send, contact the facility over the telephone using the numbers provided on our site. JPay's correctional email service is faster than regular mail, with individuals usually receiving emails within 48 hours. You can upload the photos online and then go pick them up, put them in an envelope and mail them or just have them mailed directly to the inmate through the Walgreens website (mailing them directly has some drawbacks).Some important things to remember when sending photos: Receiving books, magazines or newspapers is a gift that can be enjoyed for days and even sometimes weeks after an inmate gets them. Colorado Universal Service Fund Intrastate Telephone Calls, funds used to communicate with loved ones. Unfortunately, stamps, envelopes and paper are contraband in many U.S. jails. As if having a loved one in jail isnt difficult enough, keeping in touch with them can be challenging as well. You can setup an account by calling GTL at 1-888-415-0377, or by visiting the GTL website, fee's and rates apply. What Are the Eligible Inmate Package Vendors? To send an inmate mail, you must locate the institution or rehabilitation facility that is holding the inmate. When sending funds through the mail, some institutions will require you send it to the inmate, while other facilities (Folsom, Mule Creek, California State Prison Scramento, San Quentin and WascoState Prison)will require you to send it to a contracted vendor called JPAY using this deposit form. Postal Service. Read More: Rights of an Inmate in Jail. Though the provisions from each facility are different, most inmates are given three meals a . Writing letters to inmates is what keeps them in the loop about the life outside, prepares them for it, and lifts their spirits. Alternatively, if you know the inmate's ID number, you can enter it into the field and press "Search." Provides Friends and Family with a variety of support features, including live chat with customer service, submitting support tickets, and keyword content searches. Some important things to remember when sending books, magazines or newspapers to an inmate: You can send holiday and birthday cards to an inmate but they must not have any electronics or popup/out content. This is where DoNotPay comes in. DoNotPay streamlines the process of writing, sending, and receiving inmate letters. All mail, confidential or non-confidential, as well as publications and packages, are subject to inspection. One of the big scams out there that I have been noticing is various "Inmate Service" companies that claim you can contact your inmate online, or send them a message through their website. (NMLS #967396). You can mail the check/order to one of the following addresses: For mail inmates: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department P.O. Depending on the type of mail sent to inmates, eligible senders are listed in the table below. Usually mail is delivered within seven days of it arriving at the facility, but certain circumstances such as a lockdown or a large influx of mail during holidays can slow down delivery. Many correctional facilities require that they come directly from the publishermeaning they must come from a site likeAmazon. . Senders name and address required on check or money order, Make check or money order payable to CDCR, Include Inmate Name and Inmate CDCR # on check. This way, all you have to focus on is the content of your letter. The funds in an inmate's account will also follow the inmate if they are transferred to a different facility or are released. Inmate's use the funds you send them to purchase items like stamps, envelopes, food, snacks, clothing, and hygiene products from the commissary. Copyright 2023 California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, DOM Article 43 policy regarding Inmate Property, Lookup the inmates CDCR number using the, Determine where the inmate is located using the, Funds post to an inmate account within 1 3 days, Friends and family can deposit funds to a trust account or restitution only. These emails are reviewed, then shared with an inmate. Postal Service. For the latest information regarding in-person visiting, visit CDCRsVisitation Information PageandVisitation FAQs. Family and friends can send inmates money in different ways, depending on what the correctional facility allows. Read our guide about sending money to an inmatefor more information. To get the best experience, youll need to upgrade to a newer browser. You can write them love letters, creative ones, or those of encouragement, but before you do so, make sure to check the inmate mail guidelines that each prison has. Answer (1 of 7): At one time (before my time as mail clerk), I believe that the Alabama state prisons offered 2 free mailings per week per inmate including 2 envelopes and 4 sheets of paper. Absolutely! The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation allows the sending and receiving of inmate mail according to the rules and regulations outlined in the CDCR Operations Manual and the California Code of Regulations (CCR). Purchase stamps. Using the state's Department of Corrections or Federal Bureau of Prisons website, you can find the address of the institution and the inmate's ID or DOC number. The Florida Department of Corruption, excuse me, Corrections, seems to operate as if they are above the law. Prisoners can buy stamps at the prison commissary. Those rules are different depending on the state, type of prison (e.g., federal or state), and correctional facility. Inmates can receive books, magazines and newspapers but they must come directly from an approved source, we will give more information about how you can send these things to an inmate below. Hand gestures and tattoos are often not allowed because it may have gang implications Only 5 photos can be sent in an envelope with a single stamp at a time, and often times a facility will only allow 3-5 photos Remember staff and other inmates will be seeing these Mailing Books, Magazines, and Newspapers to Inmates You can find the inmates facility address by selecting the prison they are in. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Money orders, cashier's checks and personal check may be held for up to 30 days from the date it is deposited. Inmates may receive publications from any publisher, book store or book distributor that does mail order business. Any issues or disputes regarding the vendors products are the sole responsibility of the buyer and/or vendor, and CDCR is not obligated to mediate or resolve any such disputes (Department Operations Manual Section 54030.9.1(a)(7)). Only 1 book shipment per month of 10 or less books. The prison staff inspects the letters before they reach inmates, but theres still something special and personal about the written word. The photos can be as large as 8"x10" but must not contain nudity, hand gestures, tattoos, or anything illegal or gang related. You may want to know more about prison marriage, federal inmate phone calls, marrying an inmate in county jail, or sending magazines to inmates through Amazon. will result in refusal, Never writeanything in the letters that you wouldn't want a third party to read (all mail is inspected and read by staff). Postal Money orders are accepted) * Hardback or leather-bound books (all books must come directly from a recognized publisher) * Stickers and/or labels refers to the generic decorative, adhesive type of sticker and has nothing to do with postage. 3190(i)(7) "All publications, including books and subscriptions to periodicals, subject to section 3006. While inmates dont have direct access to the internet or internet messaging services, many correctional facilities now offer internet-based services loved ones can use to send communication. Whether you send stamps to an inmate in an envelope or an. Studies have shown that inmates who kept close contact with their loved ones had better chances of adapting to life upon release, as well as fewer chances of reoffending. Please note the CDCRNumber is the California Department of Corrections Number. For example, Florida Department of Corrections does not permit inmates to receive routine mail in certain types of packages, including boxes, plastic bags, padded envelopes, envelopes that include metal parts or any package with packing peanuts or bubble wrap. You will need to make the check payable to the inmates full name and ID number and include your complete name and return address. There is a certain procedure to follow when sending books and magazines, so you will want to read more about sending these types of itemshere. An inmate without funds will be provided a limited amount of postage stamps and mailing materials. At no time should you attempt to mail an inmate anything else, such as jewelery, personal items etc, as they will likely be confiscated as contraband. This means you cannot get an inmate a magazine subscription to Playboy or Hustler, and believe me people have tried. Since 2003, the CDCR has contracted with a number of statewide and national companies that ensure inmates receive packages. Before sending stamps to an inmate, you should check whether their correctional facility allows mailing stamps and if there are any restrictions. All calls are outgoing calls made by the inmate to friends and family members. perfume. Cards cannot have glitter, stickers or anything decorative/added to them. Since 2003, the CDCR has contracted with a number of statewide and national companies that ensure inmates receive packages. For an inmate to be able to write and send letters to their friends. Top. Check what forms of money are permitted, e.g., cashier's checks, money orders or cash, and be aware of daily limits. According toPrisonPro.com, sending correspondence is the number one best way to help your loved one feel connected to home. DoNotPays Connect With an Inmate service facilitates contact with your prison pen pal in a way that does not disturb your daily routine. Some facilities require your name and return address to be hand-written, rather than provided on a gummed or adhesive label. Include the inmates booking number on the check or money order, and make it payable to the inmate. To send money to an inmate first: Lookup the inmate's CDCR number using the Inmate Locator. Inmates can have up to 10 photographs per envelope. I find the best way to send photos to an inmate is to print them through Walgreens or a similar online service, often for under 10 per photo (always search for online coupons to save). Can I send money to an inmate? Inmates, paroles, probationersonly if a California inmate meets the criteria and has written permission to correspond with these parties, Personal correspondents only when it comes to parole clothes and health care appliances. All you need to do is focus on writing to the prisoner you want to stay in touch with. Anyone wishing to send an inmate a letter may do so, but the letter cannot contain anything that potential can put the safety and the security of the institution in jeopardy. Who Can Send Mail to a California Prison Inmate? If the inspecting staff disagrees with the morals, values, attitudes, or language of the text, they will still deliver the letter. Resolve Other Issues With DoNotPays Help. Whenever sending photos to an inmate it is a good idea to write the inmates name and ID number in pen on the reverse side of the photo. Of course the cards must be appropriate and cannot include suggestive material, even in satire. All mail is opened and inspected, sometimes read. An inmate is not allowed to receive contraband items unless these are authorized by the facility. If your letter is refused/returned you can contact the facility and ask why, but usually it will have a simple explanation provided. 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