What NOT to Send to the Phoenix Address: Money Orders, Legal Mail, and Books (DuPage County Jail)
The Phoenix, Maryland address handles scanned personal mail only. It's not for everything you might want to send to someone at DuPage County Jail. Here's what to leave out of that envelope, plus the one exception for books.
The Phoenix scanning address accepts personal mail only: letters, photos, and drawings that can be scanned and delivered digitally. The jail specifically lists items that should not go to Phoenix, even if they seem "mail-related." These items follow different rules and need different handling.
This scanned-mail process (and the new mailing address) took effect May 15, 2023. If you're following older instructions, that explains why your mail might be getting redirected or declined.
Checklist Not Send
- ✓ Checks or money orders. Do not send these to the Phoenix, MD scanning address. Follow the facility’s guidelines for how to send them instead.
- ✓ Privileged (legal) mail. Do not send privileged mail to the Phoenix, MD scanning address. Use the facility’s privileged-mail procedures.
Reminder: Phoenix is for personal mail like letters, pictures, and drawings only. If you put excluded items in that mailing, you risk it not being delivered.
Books follow different rules than personal letters and photos. The jail allows books sent directly from the publisher or from reputable, verified .com companies. A book shipped straight from an approved seller is acceptable. One mailed from a person's home address is not.
Heads up: If you (or another friend or family member) mail a book yourself, it doesn't qualify for the "sent directly from the publisher or verified .com company" exception. Keep books out of the Phoenix personal-mail stream.
The facility can reject individual contents inside a mailed piece. When that happens, the entire mailing can be declined. Keep the Phoenix stream clean: personal letters, photos, and drawings only. No checks, money orders, or privileged mail.
Need to send money by check or money order? Don't send it to the Phoenix, MD scanning address. The jail has separate guidelines for that. Same goes for privileged (legal) mail, which follows its own procedures. If you're unsure which process applies, verify the correct instructions before mailing so you don't lose time or the item.
Addressing Reminders
- ✓ Write the complete facility name (no abbreviations) and include the state.
- ✓ Include the incarcerated person’s full name and their 8-digit unique identifier.
- ✓ Put your full name and a physical return address on the envelope.
Quick check: The 8-digit unique identifier and the complete facility name (no abbreviations) are key for electronic delivery. Missing either one can slow things down.
If something feels like a gray area, verify before you mail it. For mail-delivery issues tied to the scanning service, contact TextBehind support at info@TextBehind.com.
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