How to Address Mail to Someone at MCF Faribault — and What Happens to Your Letter

Getting mail to the right person at MCF Faribault requires a few specific details. Include the incarcerated person's full name and DOC OID number, the facility name, and spell out "Minnesota" (no abbreviations). The DOC uses these identifiers to route and process mail correctly.

• ✓ Incarcerated person’s full name
• ✓ DOC OID number
• ✓ Facility name (MCF Faribault)
• ✓ The word “Minnesota” written out in full (no abbreviations)
• ✓ Clear, legible printing so the information can be read accurately

Your letter won't go straight from the mailbox to the person inside. At Minnesota DOC facilities, incoming mail is opened and scanned first. A copy is then provided to the incarcerated person. The DOC uses a third-party vendor for scanning, primarily to reduce drug contraband entering facilities through the mail.

Because of this scanning step, the mailing address you use may look different than you'd expect. DOC documentation shows examples where mail goes first to an out-of-state P.O. Box for scanning, then gets routed onward so a copy can be delivered at the facility.

1. Mail your letter - you address it with the person’s full name, DOC OID number, facility name, and “Minnesota” written out.
2. The vendor receives it - incoming mail is routed to a third-party service for processing.
3. The vendor opens and scans it - the contents are digitized as part of the mail scanning process.
4. A copy is sent on for delivery - the scanned copy is transmitted so it can be provided at the facility.
5. Your loved one gets the copy - the incarcerated person receives a copy of the mail rather than the original.

Your loved one receives a copy of what you sent - not the original. The extra handling also affects timing. Even if your letter moves quickly through the postal system, scanning and processing can add days compared to direct delivery.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Double-check the incarcerated person’s full name and DOC OID number before you seal the envelope
• ✓ Include the facility name (MCF Faribault)
• ✓ Write “Minnesota” in full (don’t abbreviate)
• ✓ Print clearly and avoid hard-to-read handwriting
• ✓ Don’t rely on shortened or informal versions of the required information
• ✓ Include your return address
• ✓ Allow extra time for the scanning/processing step before your loved one receives a copy

These details matter more than you'd think. Your letter gets handled and identified before it ever reaches the facility, so clear, complete addressing helps the scanning process match your mail to the right person. That prevents avoidable delays. The tradeoff is that your loved one receives a copy rather than the original - but the DOC reports a significant drop in overdoses and Narcan interventions since implementing this system.