Penmate Inmate Support Guides

Why Your Letter May Be Scanned — Understanding ODOC’s Digital Mail System (Clara Waters)

If you mailed a letter to someone at Clara Waters and it didn't arrive as the original paper, you're not imagining things. For routine mail, ODOC uses a digital mail process: a contracted vendor scans incoming letters before delivery, primarily to reduce contraband.

• 2 min read Verified from official sources

ODOC contracts with an electronic mail vendor to process routine incoming mail at Clara Waters. It's a contraband-reduction measure. Instead of your letter going straight into the facility as physical paper, the vendor scans it electronically and delivers it in that processed form.

For routine incoming mail (not eMessaging), ODOC directs you to send it to the electronic mail vendor address listed on the ODOC website. If you're used to addressing envelopes directly to Clara Waters, this is the key change that can trip up delivery. Check the agency's current listing before you mail anything.

Once routine mail is electronically processed, the original paper doesn't stick around forever. ODOC's policy says the vendor will shred routine mail 90 days after processing. If you're sending something your loved one might want to keep as an original (or something you'd want returned later), plan accordingly on your end. Assume the paper copy won't be available long-term.

Privileged mail, including legal correspondence, is handled differently from routine personal mail in ODOC's system. The practical takeaway is simple: if privileged mail gets sent to the electronic mail vendor, it will be returned to the sender. That means the address you use matters. Even with good intentions, putting privileged or legal mail into the routine vendor stream will delay delivery because it gets routed back instead of processed forward.

Warning: Do not send privileged or legal correspondence through the routine electronic mail vendor. If privileged mail is sent to the vendor, it will be returned to you.

ODOC's digital mail FAQ page shows a "Last Modified" date of May 21, 2025, which gives you a rough sense of how current the posted guidance is. Vendor addresses and mail procedures can change, so always check the ODOC website for the current electronic mail vendor address before sending routine (non-eMessaging) mail.

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