What Happens to Your Mail Before It Reaches Your Loved One in a Minnesota DOC Facility

Minnesota DOC uses a third-party mail scanning vendor for incoming mail. The goal is straightforward: reduce drug contraband coming into facilities through the mail. DOC also reports that since this scanning change was put in place, the number of overdoses and Narcan interventions in DOC facilities has dropped significantly. That safety piece is the main reason the process exists, even though it can change what “getting mail” looks like for your loved one.

1. Your letter arrives at the DOC mail process - It’s handled as incoming mail for an incarcerated person.
2. The mail is opened - Physical mail isn’t delivered sealed.
3. The contents are scanned - The letter is scanned through the DOC’s process.
4. Your loved one receives a copy - Instead of the original paper letter, a copy of the scanned mail is provided to the incarcerated person.

Because your letter is opened and scanned before it’s provided to your loved one, there’s an extra processing step built in. That can mean mail takes longer than you’d expect if you’re used to regular postal delivery timelines.

If you want another way to send messages and images, Minnesota DOC also allows families to send letters, photos, and greeting cards electronically by creating an account with TextBehind. Some families use that option when timing matters or when they’d rather send photos digitally instead of mailing physical prints.

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• ✓ Use your loved one’s full name on anything you send.
• ✓ Include their MN DOC Offender ID (OID) number.
• ✓ List the facility name.
• ✓ Assume anything you mail will be opened and scanned, with a copy provided to your loved one - so don’t include anything you wouldn’t want handled as part of that process.

If you’re worried about contraband - or you’re frustrated that mail doesn’t work the way it used to - it may help to know why the system is set up this way. Minnesota DOC implemented scanning through a third-party vendor specifically to reduce drugs entering facilities through the mail. DOC says that after the change, overdoses and Narcan interventions dropped significantly. That doesn’t make delays any less annoying, but it does explain why the process is stricter than normal mail.

If you have ongoing concerns - like repeated delays, confusion about the process, or questions you can’t get answered - you can contact the Minnesota Department of Corrections Central Office. Their contact information is listed in the Friends & Family handbook: Phone (651) 361-7200, Fax (651) 642-0223, and 1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 200, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108.