Understanding Durham County's Mailscan System: Where to Send Personal Mail, Legal Mail, and What Not to Send

Starting February 1, 2023, the Durham County Detention Center stopped processing personal mail at the jail itself. Instead, personal letters, cards, pictures, drawings, and similar items are handled offsite through a mailscan system run by ViaPath Technologies, where the mail is scanned and then delivered digitally to the person in custody. That change also means the old way of mailing personal items to the facility address won’t work. Beginning February 1, 2023, personal mail sent to the previous address is returned to the sender, so using the correct address is the difference between your loved one getting your message and it coming back to you unopened.

For personal correspondence only, use the Phoenix, Maryland P.O. Box: Durham County Detention Center, NC Recipient Name and ID Number P.O. Box 247 Phoenix, MD 21131 This address handles everyday personal mail - letters, cards, photos. Legal mail, books, and packages go somewhere else entirely (more on that below).

• ✓ If you were mailing around the February 1, 2023 change, the facility recommended using the Phoenix, MD address at least 10 days in advance to help avoid your mail being returned.

Legal mail, books, and packages are not sent through the Phoenix, MD personal-mail address. They must still be mailed to the facility’s Durham P.O. Box: P.O. Box 771 Durham, NC 27702 For these items, the name format matters. Make sure the shipment includes the incarcerated person’s full first, middle, and last name.

If you have questions about the mailscan process, concerns about how it works, or you need to report a delivery issue, contact the mailscan vendor at info@TextBehind.com. Durham County’s mailscan service is handled through ViaPath Technologies.