What You Can't Mail to Clatsop County Jail (and Why It Will Be Rejected)

Clatsop County Jail rejects any photos showing sexual activity or genitals. This includes anything sexually explicit, even if it's tucked into an otherwise normal letter. Not sure if an image crosses the line? Pick a different photo. Once it's flagged as prohibited, it won't be delivered.

What you write matters too. The jail prohibits letters containing threats of physical harm, blackmail or extortion, criminal activity, escape plans, coded information, or sensational content. Put simply: don't pressure anyone, describe or coordinate crimes, discuss ways to get out, or hide messages through codes or "secret" language. That's exactly what gets stopped.

Anything considered contraband can get your mail rejected. Staff screen incoming mail for physical contraband, improperly sent money, and prohibited publications. If what you send falls into any of those categories, it'll be pulled during inspection - not passed along to your loved one.

Expect every piece of incoming mail to be opened. Clatsop County Jail inspects all mail for contraband, money, and prohibited publications. Nothing stays sealed once it reaches the facility.

If something in your envelope is prohibited, the mail gets rejected or returned to you. Same goes if you send mail to someone who's already been released or transferred - the jail will send it back rather than forward it.

Money is a common reason mail gets stopped. If you're sending funds, use a cashier's check or money order - don't send cash. Personal checks aren't accepted either; they'll be held with the inmate's personal property until release.

There's a strict rule about outgoing envelopes from the jail: inmates can only write the recipient's address on the front. No drawings, no extra messages. If you were hoping your loved one could decorate the envelope or add notes on the outside, that kind of thing causes problems with mail processing.

You can't hand-deliver letters or drop off notes at Clatsop County Jail. All inmate mail has to go through the U.S. Mail, which keeps everything in the same inspection and tracking process.

Practical Sender Checklist

• ✓ Don’t send photos that depict sexual activity or genitals.
• ✓ Keep photos to 4x6 inches or smaller.
• ✓ Don’t include material that violates facility rules (mail is opened and inspected for contraband, money, and prohibited publications).
• ✓ Don’t ask the inmate to draw or write anything besides the address on the front of outgoing envelopes.
• ✓ Don’t drop mail off at the jail - send everything through the U.S. Mail.

• ✓ Send money only as a cashier’s check or money order.
• ✓ Never mail cash.
• ✓ Don’t send personal checks (they aren’t accepted and will be held in the inmate’s personal property until release).