Penmate Inmate Support Guides
dakota-mail-address-and-transition

Where to send mail to someone at Dakota Unit during the 2025–2026 transition

• 4 min read • corrections.az.gov
Where to send mail to someone at Dakota Unit during the 2025–2026 transition

Starting December 15, 2025, ADCRR is shifting most incoming personal mail to a digital platform. Letters and similar personal mail will be routed for scanning and delivered digitally. A few categories stay outside the digital process: legal mail, parcels, publications, and official government mail.

Beginning December 15, 2025, send personal mail for someone at Dakota Unit to the Digital Processing Center: Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry, PO Box 211309, Dallas, TX 75211. Include the incarcerated person's full name and ADCRR number, plus the prison complex and their assigned unit - this ensures proper sorting and processing.

  • ✓ Inmate’s full first and last name
  • ✓ ADCRR number
  • ✓ Prison complex
  • ✓ Assigned unit
  • ✓ Digital Processing Center: Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry
  • ✓ PO Box 211309, Dallas, TX 75211

You may still see a Dakota Unit (ASPC-Y) mailing address listed as a unit-specific P.O. Box: Inmate Name and ADC/ADCRR #, P.O. Box 8909, San Luis, AZ 85349. This can get confusing during the transition - especially if you've been using that P.O. Box for years. Most personal mail is shifting to the Digital Processing Center starting December 15, 2025.

Note: Starting December 15, 2025, most personal mail should go to the Digital Processing Center in Dallas, not the Dakota Unit P.O. Box in San Luis. ADCRR is offering a grace period for misaddressed items during the transition.

Where to send mail to someone at Dakota Unit during the 2025–2026 transition

Packages follow different rules than personal letters. Starting January 7, 2026, send packages for Dakota Unit inmates to 801 E Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034. Include the inmate's full name and ADCRR number, along with the prison complex and assigned unit on the label.

Official government mail - Veterans checks, Social Security checks, disability checks - has its own routing. Starting January 7, 2026, send these to: Inmate Trust Accounts Section, 1802 W Jackson Street, #161, Phoenix, AZ 85007. Include the inmate's full name, ADCRR number, prison complex, and assigned unit.

  • ✓ Packages (effective Jan 7, 2026): Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry; Inmate’s full name + ADCRR number; Prison complex, assigned unit; 801 E Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034
  • ✓ Publications (effective Jan 7, 2026): Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry; Inmate’s full name + ADCRR number; Prison complex, assigned unit; 801 E Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034
  • ✓ Official government checks (effective Jan 7, 2026): Inmate Trust Accounts Section; Inmate’s full name + ADCRR number; Prison complex, assigned unit; 1802 W Jackson Street, #161, Phoenix, AZ 85007

ADCRR is allowing a one-month grace period to smooth the changeover. From December 15, 2025 through January 15, 2026, personal mail mistakenly sent to a prison complex instead of the Digital Processing Center will still be processed and delivered. After January 15, 2026, improperly addressed mail will be returned to sender.

Where to send mail to someone at Dakota Unit during the 2025–2026 transition

Once personal mail reaches the digital processing system, ADCRR's partner Securus aims to process, scan, and make it available digitally within 3 business days of receipt. If your loved one mentions a delay, keep that timeline in mind - it's counted from when the mail arrives at the center, not when you drop it in the mailbox.

Questions about the mail policy or digital transition? Securus Customer Service is available 24/7 at (800) 844-6591. They can help you confirm which address to use and troubleshoot if something isn't showing up as expected.

  1. Send personal letters to the Digital Processing Center starting Dec 15, 2025 - Use PO Box 211309, Dallas, TX 75211, and include the inmate’s full name, ADCRR number, prison complex, and assigned unit.
  2. Route exceptions to Phoenix starting Jan 7, 2026 - Packages and publications go to 801 E Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034; official government checks go to Inmate Trust Accounts Section, 1802 W Jackson Street, #161, Phoenix, AZ 85007.
  3. Follow up if mail isn’t available within 3 business days of receipt - Call Securus Customer Service at (800) 844-6591 (24/7) to ask about processing or transition issues.

Find an Inmate at ASPC-Y DAKOTA II

Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.

Exact spelling helps find results faster

Free to search · Used by families nationwide
Woman using phone to connect with loved one

More from ASPC-Y DAKOTA II

dakota-visitation-fee-how-to-pay

Applying for Visits at ASPC‑Y Dakota: The $25 Background Fee, Phone‑Only Exception, and Which Vendor Costs Least

Applying to visit someone at ASPC‑Y Dakota? Budget for a one-time, non-refundable $25 background check fee per adult visitor. This fee applies to both in-person visits and phone privileges. One exception: if you only want to receive phone calls from an inmate (not initiate them), you can skip the $25 fee. You'll still need to complete the phone privileges application, though.

dakota-apply-timing-checklist

Before You Apply for Visits at ASPC‑Y Dakota: Timing, Deadlines, and Common Pitfalls

Timing matters if your loved one just entered the system or was recently transferred. ADCRR won't process visitation applications while an inmate is going through intake at Alhambra or Perryville. Before you submit anything, confirm where they're currently housed - especially if their status is still in flux.

dakota-mail-what-gets-scanned-originals

Before you mail: what gets scanned for Dakota Unit, how originals are handled, and how to get them back

Dakota Unit's digital mail system scans a specific list of items: letters, greeting cards, kid artwork and drawings, and photos. That's it. If you're considering sending something outside that list, don't - it won't be scanned. When in doubt, stick to written correspondence.