Sending Mail to Limon: Why Your Letter Might Be Photocopied (And What That Means)

Limon Correctional Facility is on the CDOC list of facilities subject to an OIG mail restriction. What does that mean in practice? At OIG-identified facilities like Limon, incoming mail may be photocopied. The copy goes to your loved one. The original gets destroyed. This policy exists because mail can be used to smuggle contraband into prisons. The restriction applies at the facility level based on OIG findings. The key thing to understand: "mailing something" and "getting the original into your loved one's hands" aren't the same thing at Limon. What they receive may be a copy of what you sent.

Always include a valid return address. CDOC warns that mail without a return address may be rejected outright, meaning your letter never reaches the person you're writing to. "Valid" means a complete, real mailing address - not just a first name, nickname, or partial location. If privacy is a concern, use an address you're comfortable sharing. But don't leave it off entirely.

How you send photos matters. CDOC allows people in custody to receive commercially produced photos through an approved vendor. When photos come directly from that vendor, they're processed like publications - meaning they generally won't be photocopied under the mail restriction. Electronic options work differently. Securus eMessaging messages, photos, and VideoGrams are reviewed by the facility. If something gets rejected, you'll receive a notice in your inbox explaining why. One catch: stamps or payments you used aren't refunded.

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• ✓ Include a full, valid return address on every envelope - mail without one may be rejected.
• ✓ Assume paper mail could be photocopied and the original destroyed; keep anything irreplaceable at home.
• ✓ For photos, use commercially produced photos sent directly from an approved vendor when you can (they’re generally processed like publications).
• ✓ When ordering from a vendor, make sure the shipment is set up to come directly from the vendor so it’s handled as a vendor item.

Sending something sentimental? Plan around the fact that Limon may deliver a photocopy and destroy the original. For many families, this is the deciding factor in switching to vendor-sent photos. Photos from an approved vendor are treated like publications and generally won't be photocopied under the restriction.