How to Send Mail to Someone at McLennan County Jail (digital delivery via GettingOut)

McLennan County delivers all personal mail digitally. As of November 1, 2022, letters and photos are scanned and sent to your incarcerated friend or loved one through the GettingOut tablet. The county also changed the inmate mailing address on October 17, 2022. If you still have an old address saved, update it. Mail that doesn't follow the current process can be delayed or never delivered. Only send personal correspondence: letters, pictures, and drawings. Everything you send needs to be something that can be scanned and delivered electronically.

1. Write the complete facility name and the state (no abbreviations) so the mail can be routed correctly for electronic delivery.
2. Add the incarcerated person’s full name and identifier so it is delivered to the right person.
3. Include your full name and physical return address so the sender information is complete and the item can be properly processed.

In a digital mail system, every detail on the envelope counts. If the facility name is abbreviated, the state is missing, the identifier is left off, or your return address is incomplete, the mail may not get matched to the right account for electronic delivery.

The county's page shows an example format that includes the jail name and the person's identifier, written as an SO#. Example format shown: McLennan County Jail, TX John Smith SO#11111 PO Box 247 Phoenix, MD 21131 Use that as your formatting guide. Keep the facility name spelled out, include the state, and make sure the incarcerated person's full name and identifier are easy to read.

Here's where it gets confusing. The same county page shows two instructions that contradict each other. One part uses an example address with a PO Box in Phoenix, MD. Another part clearly says: "DO NOT send to the new (Phoenix, MD) address." The page also references a mailing-address change date of October 17, 2022. Bottom line: double-check that you're following the most current instruction before dropping anything in the mail.

1. Re-check the county’s mail instructions right before you send so you are not relying on an older screenshot or saved note.
2. Do not mail to the Phoenix, MD address if the page says not to. The explicit “DO NOT send” warning is the safer instruction to follow.
3. Confirm the correct destination with the appropriate support before mailing if you are still seeing conflicting guidance on the page.

Since McLennan County delivers personal mail digitally through the GettingOut tablet, most delays come down to what's on the envelope. Start with the basics: Did you spell out the full facility name (no abbreviations)? Did you include the state, the incarcerated person's full name and identifier, and your own full name and physical address? Also confirm that what you mailed fits the county's guidelines (letters, pictures, and drawings only).

1. Call the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 254-757-5000 and ask who can help with jail mail delivery questions.
2. Try the Jail Highway 6 line at 254-757-2555 if you need to reach the jail directly about a missing or delayed delivery.

Quick Tips

• ✓ Use the complete facility name (no abbreviations) and include the state.
• ✓ Include the incarcerated person’s full name and identifier.
• ✓ Put your full name and physical return address on the envelope.
• ✓ Only send personal mail such as letters, pictures, and drawings.