How Mail Works for People at Bertie Correctional Institution (TextBehind, Originals, and Exceptions)
Mail at Bertie Correctional Institution doesn't work like regular prison mail. Most personal letters go through TextBehind first, where they're screened and scanned before your loved one sees them on their tablet.
Non-legal mail at Bertie Correctional Institution goes through TextBehind. Your letter gets screened and scanned, then delivered electronically to the person's tablet - not handed over as physical paper. This is why addressing matters so much. Your envelope isn't going straight to Bertie's mailroom, and small mistakes can bounce it right back to you.
TextBehind handles letters only - not packages. Send a package through TextBehind and it comes right back. For package questions, contact the prison facility directly.
To avoid rejection, address your letter to TextBehind's Maryland address and include three things: the person's full name, their OPUS number, and the full facility name (no abbreviations). Here's the format: [Offender Full Name] #[OPUS Number] Bertie Correctional Institution P.O. Box 247 Phoenix, MD 21131
Warning: If your mail isn’t addressed with the full name, OPUS number, and the full prison name as required, it will be returned to you.
- Decide quickly if you need the original back - you have 30 days to request the original letter and its contents.
- Email TextBehind customer support - send your request to info@textbehind.com.
- Pay the return-mailing fee - TextBehind charges $2.50 per letter to mail the originals back to you.
- Don’t wait past the deadline - after 30 days, TextBehind shreds the originals.
Publications like books and magazines work differently than letters. You can't mail one directly yourself. Instead, order from the publisher or an online retailer and have it shipped to the prison's street address. Don't send publications through TextBehind.
Religious correspondence courses, sacred texts, and Bible study materials have separate rules. They require pre-approval before you send anything. Once approved, materials must ship directly to the correctional facility from the vendor, school, or religious institution - not through TextBehind.
Reminder: TextBehind returns all packages to the sender. If you’re trying to send a package or have questions about package options, contact the prison facility.
Ordering a vendor package through Union Supply/NCInmatePackage? Know that orders get canceled if the person is placed on control status (HCON, MCON, ICON, or Safekeeper) before the package ships. You'll get a refund minus a $5 restocking fee. If timing matters, confirm the person's status before you order.
Practical Tips
- ✓ Use the person’s full name and OPUS number on every letter.
- ✓ Write out “Bertie Correctional Institution” in full - don’t abbreviate the facility name.
- ✓ Address personal mail to: P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131 (TextBehind), not directly to Bertie.
- ✓ Remember that non-legal mail is screened/scanned and delivered electronically to the person’s tablet.
- ✓ Don’t try to send publications through TextBehind - order from the publisher/retailer and ship to the prison’s street address instead.
- ✓ Re-check the address format before you mail anything; incorrect addressing gets returned to sender.
Tip: Use a clear, complete return address with your full name so returned mail can actually make it back to you.
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