Why your letters are being copied (Indiana DOC mail policy) — what families need to know

If you've been sending letters and your loved one says they only got a black-and-white copy - or nothing at all - you're not imagining things. Indiana DOC policy requires the mail room to photocopy all incoming general correspondence. Your loved one gets the copy, not the original. Distribution is supposed to happen within 48 hours, though weekends, holidays, and facility emergencies don't count toward that window.

Indiana DOC separates mail into two categories: "general correspondence" and Legal Mail (also called Privileged Correspondence). General correspondence covers everyday letters and non-legal mail, including educational and religious materials. This is the mail that gets copied in black and white - your loved one receives the photocopy, not what you actually sent.

After your letter arrives and gets copied, the facility has 48 hours to distribute it. But that clock pauses for weekends, holidays, and facility emergencies. A letter that lands in the mail room on a Friday afternoon might not reach your loved one until midweek.

The facility holds onto the original for at least 14 days after delivering the copy. This matters if there's ever a dispute about what was sent or if mail gets challenged or destroyed.

When mail room staff suspect contamination, they're required to document it. They use State Form 11984 ("Notice and Report of Action Taken on Correspondence") or a written notice explaining that the mail was destroyed.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Expect your loved one to receive a black-and-white photocopy of general correspondence, not your original letter or original enclosures.
• ✓ If you’re sending something you’d be upset to lose (a one-of-a-kind photo, a keepsake note, a child’s drawing), assume the original may not make it into their hands.
• ✓ Keep a simple record of what you mailed and when, so you can compare it to when the copy is actually distributed.
• ✓ If a specific letter becomes an issue, act within the window while the facility is still required to physically retain incoming general correspondence on-site for at least 14 days.

1. Give it the policy window - allow time for the copy to be distributed within 48 hours, remembering weekends, holidays, and facility emergencies don’t count toward that timeline.
2. Use the 14-day retention period strategically - if your loved one still hasn’t received it, follow up while the facility is still required to maintain the incoming general correspondence on-site for a minimum of 14 days.
3. If they say it was destroyed, ask for the paperwork - when general correspondence is suspected of contamination and destroyed, staff must complete State Form 11984 (or a written destruction notice). Your loved one should receive a copy within two business days unless it’s tied to an ongoing investigation.