What You Send vs. What an Incarcerated Person at Madison Actually Receives: Mail and Photo Rules

Addressing

• ✓ Incarcerated individual’s full name
• ✓ DOC number
• ✓ Facility name
• ✓ Street address or PO Box
• ✓ City, IN ZIP code

Use the addressing format IDOC provides so your mail gets where it needs to go. On both the letter and envelope, include the incarcerated person's full name and DOC number, then the facility name and street address or PO Box, followed by the city, Indiana, and ZIP code.

What you send isn't always what your loved one receives. At Madison - like other IDOC facilities - the mailroom photocopies general correspondence in black and white before delivering it. This applies to everyday letters, educational materials, and religious mail. Your loved one gets the copy. The originals don't make it through.

Legal Mail and Privileged Correspondence follow different rules. IDOC's automatic copying requirement only applies to general correspondence - these protected categories are exempt. That matters if you're sending something confidential or something that needs to stay in its original form.

1. Decide whether it’s general or privileged - Everyday notes, photos, and most printed materials fall under general correspondence and will be copied.
2. Use Legal/Privileged channels for protected communication - If your mailing qualifies as Legal Mail or Privileged Correspondence, send it through the proper legal/privileged route so it isn’t handled as general correspondence.
3. Address it clearly and completely - Even when something is privileged, it still needs the incarcerated person’s full name, DOC number, and the facility address details so it reaches the right place.

Practical Tips

• ✓ If you want your loved one to see an image clearly, assume it will be viewed in black and white and choose high-contrast photos or prints.
• ✓ If you’re sending something you can’t replace, don’t mail the original - general correspondence originals aren’t provided to the incarcerated person.
• ✓ For keepsakes (like one-of-a-kind family photos or children’s artwork), consider keeping the original at home and sending a copy you’re comfortable losing.

Since originals don't make it through, think about what you're sending. Does it need to stay in its original form? If you want to share photos or messages with better clarity, check what digital communication options are available through the facility's approved systems.

1. Double-check the address format - Make sure you used the incarcerated person’s full name, DOC number, and the facility name plus street address or PO Box with City, IN ZIP code.
2. Follow up with the facility - If something seems delayed, contact the facility and ask for the mailroom.
3. Ask what happened to the item - Mail can be delayed for processing or rejected for rule reasons; getting the specific reason helps you adjust what you send next time.