Will Your Loved One at Santa Rita See Your Original Letter or a Copy? Understanding Digital Mail

If you're writing someone at Santa Rita, you're probably wondering: will they actually hold your letter, or just see a digital copy? The answer depends on how digital mail works at the facility. Here's what you need to know, including what happens to your original paper mail after scanning, how to get originals sent back to you, how your loved one reads scanned mail (with or without a tablet), what access looks like after release, and who to contact if something seems missing or stuck.

Your loved one will see a scanned version of what you sent, not the original paper. ADCRR's contracted provider stores the physical originals for 90 days after scanning. Once that window closes, the originals are professionally disposed of unless you've arranged to have them returned.

Want your original letter back after it's scanned? Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with your correspondence. That extra envelope tells the provider to mail the originals back to you instead of disposing of them after the 90-day retention period.

• ✓ Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope inside your correspondence if you want the original returned after scanning.
• ✓ Write your return address clearly on the self-addressed envelope.
• ✓ Make sure the provider can match the returned item to the right mailing by including your loved one’s identifying details on the main piece of correspondence.

Once mail is scanned into the digital system, anyone with a tablet can view it electronically. No tablet? Your loved one can still read their mail through a department-provided electronic kiosk, or the department can print a black-and-white copy for them.

1. Mail is processed and scanned - incoming paper mail is converted into a digital format for viewing.
2. Tablet users view it on their device - scanned mail is uploaded so it can be read electronically.
3. Non-tablet users still get access - mail is made available through a department kiosk or as a printed black-and-white copy.

Digital mail doesn't follow someone indefinitely after they leave custody. After release from ADCRR, a formerly incarcerated person can access their digitized mail through a secure public website and download files for up to 90 days. After that, the items are deleted.

For everyday expectations: ADCRR's partner Securus aims to process, scan, and deliver incoming mail digitally within 3 business days of receipt. If your loved one says they haven't seen something yet, that timeline can help you decide whether to wait a bit longer or start making calls.