What Happens to Your Mail at Carteret County Detention Center — the Scanning Process and 7 Mistakes That Get Mail Rejected
Sending mail to someone at Carteret County Detention Center? Your original letter or photos won't reach them in paper form. Everything that meets the rules gets scanned and delivered electronically to the inmate's tablet — then the physical mail is destroyed.
Mail that follows the processing-center rules gets scanned and appears on the inmate's tablet. The actual paper - your letter, photos, drawings, card - never reaches their hands. Once it's processed, the physical mail is destroyed. One more thing to keep in mind: if scanned mail contains anything illegal or security-related, it can be handed over to authorities for investigation. Be thoughtful about what you include and how you phrase things.
Hard Restrictions
- ✓ Don’t mail cash, personal checks, or money orders to the mail processing center.
- ✓ Keep it to 10 pages or less per envelope.
- ✓ Use pages no larger than 8.5” x 11”.
Note: If you go over 10 pages or use oversized paper, your mail can be rejected at the processing center. Count your pages before you seal the envelope, and stick to standard letter-size sheets.
Most rejected mail falls into predictable categories. Photos trip people up often. Polaroids aren't accepted, and neither are photos showing nude or partially clothed people. Don't send originals you can't afford to lose - they won't be returned. The processing center also rejects anything with "stuff" attached: glitter, glue, tape, 3D elements, or electronic components like lights, music, or animation. Magazines and publications shouldn't go to the mail processing center either. Finally, watch your envelope and your words. No hand-drawn art on envelopes. No letters written in code. Content involving threats, gang symbols or colors, or anything that creates a clear and present danger will also get rejected.
Warning: Prohibited or security-breaching content can be stopped, destroyed, or turned over for investigation. Threats of criminal activity in correspondence may also lead to criminal charges.
- Use standard letter-size paper - Keep every page at 8.5” x 11” or smaller.
- Count your pages before you send - Put 10 pages or less in each envelope.
- Keep everything flat and simple - Skip glitter, glue, tape, 3D add-ons, and anything with lights, music, or animation.
- Send only non-original photos - and avoid banned images - Don’t send Polaroids, don’t include nude or partially clothed photos, and don’t mail original photos or important originals you’d want back.
- Don’t decorate or “code” your mail - Avoid hand-drawn art on the envelope, and don’t write in code or include threats or gang symbols/colors.
After release, an inmate can request digital copies of their scanned mail by email. The request needs to include: Carteret County Detention Center, the Facility ID, the inmate’s full name, the inmate’s ID number, and an email address. Once the information is verified, the download information is sent to the email address provided.
Quick Checklist
- ✓ No glitter, glue, tape, 3D elements, or electronic components.
- ✓ No Polaroids, no nude/partially clothed photos, and don’t send original photos you want back.
- ✓ 10 pages or less per envelope.
- ✓ Page size no larger than 8.5” x 11”.
- ✓ Assume the original paper mail will be destroyed after scanning.
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