Which Address to Use When Sending Mail to Someone at Knox County Detention (PO Box vs Street Address)

Knox County Detention uses different addresses depending on what you're sending. Get it wrong, and your mail gets rejected. Personal letters from friends and family go to a P.O. Box in Highland Heights. Legal mail from attorneys goes to the street address in Barbourville. Payments and money orders also go to the street address. All incoming mail is opened and inspected during processing - so correct addressing matters if you want it to actually reach your loved one.

Sending a regular letter or card? Use the P.O. Box: Knox County Detention Center, P.O. Box 76550, Highland Heights, KY 41076. Include the inmate's full name and inmate ID on the envelope - staff need those identifiers to route mail to the right person.

Legal mail works differently. Correspondence from lawyers or legal representatives goes to the street address: Knox County Detention Center, 570 KY 225, Barbourville, KY 40906. Include the inmate's name and ID on the envelope so staff can route it properly as legal correspondence.

Mailing a payment or money order for commissary funds? Send it to the street address: Knox County Detention Center, 570 KY 225, Barbourville, KY 40906. Make money orders out to Knox County Detention Center with the inmate's name on the memo line. For MRT book payments, write the inmate name plus "MRT Book" on the memo line.

S5

• ✓ Inmate’s full name
• ✓ Inmate ID number
• ✓ Correct destination address (P.O. Box for non-legal personal mail; street address for legal mail and payments)
• ✓ Your full return address on the envelope
• ✓ Addressed exactly as directed (mail not addressed as directed can be rejected)

The facility has size and material rules because all mail goes through a sheet-fed scanner. Your mail must be no larger than 8.5" x 11" (letter size) and no smaller than 3.5" x 5" (postcard size). Paper can't be thicker than light card stock, and everything needs to feed through the scanner cleanly.

Wrong address, missing inmate name or ID, or mail that doesn't meet formatting rules? It won't make it through. The facility opens and inspects all incoming mail, checking for contraband and rule violations. Anything that doesn't follow instructions can be rejected or destroyed. Before sending something time-sensitive - especially legal documents or payments - double-check that you're using the right address and the envelope is filled out exactly as required.

1. Identify what you’re sending - personal mail, legal mail, or a payment/money order.
2. Pick the right address - personal mail goes to the P.O. Box in Highland Heights; legal mail and payments go to the street address in Barbourville.
3. Write the inmate’s name and ID clearly - include both on the address so it routes correctly.
4. Add your return address - the envelope must have a return address.
5. Match the size/scanner requirements - stay within the allowed sizes, keep it no thicker than light card stock, and make sure it can go through a sheet-fed scanner.