Sending Mail to Harrison County Jail: What Gets Through and What Gets Returned

All incoming inmate mail at Harrison County Detention Center is opened and screened before delivery. Assume anything you send will be inspected. This is standard procedure for every piece of mail.

If you send mail or items to someone who is no longer in custody, the jail returns it to the sender. Nothing gets forwarded to a new location. So if you're trying to reach someone quickly, confirm they're still in custody before mailing anything.

You can't bring items to the jail and leave them for an inmate. Drop-offs aren't allowed for security reasons. Anything an inmate needs has to be purchased through commissary.

Commissary covers more than just basic goods. At Harrison County Detention Center, inmates can also use commissary funds to access email and video visitation.

Practical Checklist

• ✓ Expect your mail to be opened and screened before the inmate receives it.
• ✓ Never send cash in the mail. It will be sent back unopened.
• ✓ Do not plan on dropping off items for an inmate. Nothing can be left for them.
• ✓ If your loved one needs items, they have to get them through commissary.

If your goal is helping your loved one get essentials or stay connected, commissary is the way to go. At this facility, commissary funds cover access to both email and video visitation.

Once you send mail, expect it to be opened and screened before delivery. If the person you're writing to is no longer in custody, your mail comes back to you. It won't be forwarded. And if you accidentally include cash, it gets returned unopened.