Why Your Mail Might Be Returned: Common Mistakes People Make When Writing to Callaway County Jail

Missing key info is the fastest way to get mail rejected. For incoming postcards, include your complete first and last name, your full return address, and the recipient's complete name - all clearly written. Return address rules apply to outgoing mail too. Callaway County Jail won't send out mail without a return address in this exact format: the inmate's name, Callaway County Jail, PO Box 817 Fulton, MO 65251. Miss any part of that, or write it differently, and the mail may not go out.

Stick to standard white postcards, 5" x 7" or smaller. Anything else - index cards, letters, photographs - doesn't meet the mail policy and can be rejected.

• ✓ Write the sender’s complete first and last name
• ✓ Write the sender’s complete return address
• ✓ Write the intended recipient’s complete name

Skip the artwork. Envelopes or postcards with drawings won't be accepted. Your safest bet: a plain postcard with just your message and the required addressing info.

Use clean, legitimate postage. Mail with bleached stamps won't be sent - if a stamp looks reused, washed, or tampered with, expect rejection.

Checklist Printable

• ✓ Use a standard white postcard only (no larger than 5" x 7")
• ✓ Do not send index cards or photographs
• ✓ Include the sender’s complete first and last name
• ✓ Include the sender’s complete return address
• ✓ Include the intended recipient’s complete name
• ✓ Don’t add drawings to any part of the mail
• ✓ Use proper postage; do not use bleached/tampered stamps
• ✓ Remember: stamps are removed (cut) from postcards before inmate possession