Smart Tablets at Hill-Finklea: What Families Should Know

Hill-Finklea Detention Center says it added Smart Tablets for people in custody. According to the facility, these tablets are used to deliver personal mail to inmates, and they also provide access to educational programs and other services. The facility also states the Smart Tablets were provided at no cost to the county.

On the facility’s mail information, the sample inmate mailing address includes “c/o Smart Communication Berkeley County Detention Center” and uses a PO Box in Pinellas Park, Florida. That “Smart Communication” reference lines up with the facility’s description of Smart Tablets delivering personal mail - so if you’re seeing both terms, they’re likely connected to the same mail-handling process described by the detention center.

For anything the website doesn’t spell out - especially costs, timing, or what’s allowed - call Hill-Finklea’s main line first: 843-719-4546 (available 24 hours). It’s the fastest way to confirm the current process before you spend money on postage or send something that won’t be accepted.

• ✓ Ask whether there are any costs to the inmate or to families connected to tablet-delivered personal mail, educational programs, or other services.
• ✓ Ask how “personal mail” is delivered through the Smart Tablets (for example, whether it’s digitized and then delivered on the device).
• ✓ Ask whether there’s a specific vendor or portal families must use for mail tied to Smart Communication/Smart Tablets.
• ✓ Ask what identifying information is required for mail to be accepted (for example, name format and booking number requirements).
• ✓ Ask whether there are limits on what can be sent or accessed through the tablet-related services (content restrictions, program availability, or similar limits).

When you call, have your loved one’s full booked name and booking number ready, and read the mailing address back to staff to confirm you’re using the correct format. You can also ask your loved one what address they’ve been told to use - then compare it to the facility’s sample address that lists “c/o Smart Communication” and the PO Box in Pinellas Park, FL. That quick double-check can prevent delays and returned mail.