Penmate Inmate Support Guides

How IDOC's Mail Scanning Works — What Gets Scanned, What Doesn't, and Common Prohibited Items

If your loved one is in an Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) facility, regular mail won't arrive as paper. It gets scanned and delivered digitally—so what you send needs to scan well and meet IDOC's guidelines.

• 2 min read • idoc.illinois.gov
How IDOC's Mail Scanning Works — What Gets Scanned, What Doesn't, and Common Prohibited Items

IDOC mailroom staff scans incoming non-privileged mail in color - front and back of the envelope, plus everything inside. Letters, greeting cards, photos: all of it. The scanned documents become PDF images uploaded to the recipient's Bulletin Board, where they can download and view them on their tablet. Bottom line: standard personal mail arrives digitally, not as the original paper you sent.

Publications are the exception. Books and magazines sent to people in custody aren't scanned or photocopied - they're handled separately from regular letters and photos.

How IDOC's Mail Scanning Works — What Gets Scanned, What Doesn't, and Common Prohibited Items

Prohibited

  • ✓ Envelopes or correspondence padded with gray diamond dust
  • ✓ Corrugated cardboard boxes mailed from family and friends
  • ✓ Hardback books

Why these rules? IDOC restricts certain materials for safety reasons. Padded envelope liners and corrugated cardboard can hide contraband, so keep what you send simple.

  1. Send “non-privileged” mail expecting a digital copy - IDOC scans the envelope (front and back) and each item inside, then uploads PDFs to the person’s Bulletin Board for tablet viewing.
  2. Use plain, standard mailing materials - avoid anything padded or unusual, including envelopes padded with gray diamond dust.
  3. Skip corrugated cardboard packaging - corrugated cardboard boxes mailed from family and friends are prohibited.
  4. Don’t mail hardback books - IDOC lists hardback books as unauthorized incoming mail.
  5. When something feels like an edge case, verify before you send - if you’re unsure whether an item will be accepted or how it will be handled under scanning, check IDOC mail guidance or confirm with the facility mailroom first.

Tip: Your mail will be viewed as a scanned PDF on a tablet. Send items that scan clearly and are easy to read on screen.

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