What You Can and Can’t Send to Someone at Forrest County Detention Center

Forrest County Detention Center keeps the approved list short: up to $100 in cash and one soft-bound religious text ordered and shipped directly from a reputable seller. That's it for most inmates. If your loved one is a state trustee or sheriff trustee, there's also a trustee-box rule - one box allowed on the 15th of each month. Boxes arriving after the 15th won't be accepted unless the Major approved it beforehand. Don't send anything sold through the jail canteen (hygiene items, snacks, envelopes, notepads, stamps). Those will be rejected.

Cash is allowed, but the limit is firm: $100 maximum, whether you're mailing it or bringing it during visitation. Send more than that, and the entire package may be rejected.

One religious text is allowed, but it has to meet two requirements. It must be soft-bound (paperback), and it must be ordered from and shipped directly by a reputable seller - the facility specifically mentions Amazon and Books-A-Million as examples. Books that don't come straight from the seller may not be accepted.

Clothing works differently. The facility allows inmates to receive a new set of clothing after visible wear and tear - roughly every 90 days. The catch: the old set must be returned before the new one is issued. If your loved one is a trustee, the separate trustee-box schedule also applies.

Even allowed items get inspected. Forrest County searches every package before anything reaches an inmate. Sealed packaging or "new" items won't bypass screening.

Contraband isn't limited to obviously illegal items. The facility's list includes drugs, alcoholic beverages, weapons, keys, any form of tobacco, and anything inmates aren't permitted to possess. If you're unsure whether something counts, leave it out. The facility can treat it as contraband if inmates aren't allowed to have it.

This is why every package gets searched. Staff screen everything before it's issued, and if they find contraband, they can move straight to enforcement - including arrest and prosecution of whoever brought the package.

Canteen Items Not to Send

• ✓ Personal hygiene items
• ✓ Snacks
• ✓ Envelopes
• ✓ Notepads
• ✓ Stamps

Trustee packages follow a strict calendar. State trustee and sheriff trustee inmates can receive one box on the 15th of each month. After the 15th, no boxes are accepted unless the Major approved it beforehand. Timing matters as much as what's inside.

Clothing replacement is based on wear and tear. After visible damage, an inmate may receive a new set - roughly every 90 days. The old set must be returned to get the new one.

Forrest County accepts packages Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. and 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. Plan your drop-off around those windows.

Address mail and packages like this: Inmate Name 55 Arena Drive Hattiesburg, MS 39401

The facility puts responsibility on the inmate to tell friends and family what's allowed. Before you buy anything, double-check with your loved one - especially if you're trying to send something that isn't clearly on the approved list.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Keep cash at $100 or less if you’re including it in a package (mail or visitation).
• ✓ If you’re sending a religious book, make it a single soft-bound text and have it ordered from and delivered by a reputable seller (the facility gives Amazon and Books-A-Million as examples).
• ✓ Don’t send canteen-type items (hygiene products, snacks, envelopes, notepads, stamps); the inmate can’t receive those in packages.
• ✓ If your loved one is a trustee, plan around the 15th-of-the-month rule (one box on the 15th; after the 15th requires Major approval obtained before that date).

For drop-offs, stick to package-receiving hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 A.M.–12:00 P.M. and 1:00 P.M.–4:30 P.M. For shipping, use the exact address format - Inmate Name, 55 Arena Drive, Hattiesburg, MS 39401 - so your package doesn't get delayed or flagged as misdirected.