Digital Messages vs. Physical Mail at J. Reuben Long: Costs, Speed, and When to Use Each

The fastest way to reach someone at J. Reuben Long Detention Center is through the Inmate Messaging system. You'll need to create an account at NCIC.com first. Once that's done, you can send text messages, photos, or pictures of documents - all through the same platform.

Pricing is simple. A text message costs $0.25. Photos and document images run $0.35 each. If you're weighing digital messages against mailing something in, these per-item costs matter.

One bonus of the digital system: there's no limit on how many messages and photos you can send.

Want to send a physical letter instead? J. Reuben Long routes general mail through a central Mail Processing Center, where it gets scanned and digitized. Your loved one won't hold the paper original - they'll view a scanned version on the kiosk in their housing unit. Address your letter exactly like this: Inmate Name, Acct#, J Reuben Long Detention Center, PO BOX 591, Longview, Texas 75606.

Some items shouldn't go to the Texas PO Box. Legal and medical mail must be sent directly to J. Reuben Long Detention Center - not to the processing address. The same applies to magazines, newspapers, bulk mail, and books. Send those directly to the facility following the detention center's mail guidelines.

When to Use Each

• ✓ Use digital messaging when you want a low, predictable cost: $0.25 per message.
• ✓ Use digital messaging when you’re sending photos or document images: $0.35 per picture.
• ✓ Use digital messaging when you expect to send a lot over time, since there’s no stated limit on how many messages and photos you can send.

• ✓ Send a physical letter to the Mail Processing Center only if you’re okay with it being scanned and delivered electronically for kiosk viewing (not handed over as the original paper).
• ✓ Don’t mail anything to PO Box 591 that you need back; originals sent there are not returned and are destroyed after processing.
• ✓ Do not send legal or medical mail to the Texas PO Box; send it directly to the facility where the inmate is housed, following J. Reuben Long Detention Center mail guidelines.
• ✓ Do not send magazines, newspapers, bulk mail, or books to PO Box 591; send them directly to the housing facility per detention center guidelines.