Mail Rules at Monmouth County Jail: What Gets Returned to Sender
Mail gets rejected at Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI) for two main reasons: format issues (wrong envelope, wrong photo paper) or items the jail considers contraband. Follow the rules below to keep your letter or pictures from getting stamped "Return to Sender."
Address letters to an incarcerated person like this: [Inmate Name] Monmouth County Correctional Institution 1 Waterworks Road Freehold, NJ 07728
Envelope
- ✓ Use a white envelope only.
- ✓ Keep it no larger than a standard #10 envelope (4-1/8" x 9-1/2").
MCCI accepts color or black-and-white photos, but only if they're copies printed on standard paper. Photos printed on actual photo paper? Those count as contraband and will be returned to sender.
You can also use freeprintsnow.com to send photos. Just keep it to 12 pictures or fewer per delivery.
Returned Items
- ✓ Food
- ✓ Plastic
- ✓ Wood
- ✓ Cigarettes
- ✓ Polaroid pictures
- ✓ Decorative stickers
- ✓ Nude pictures
- ✓ Cash
- ✓ Personal checks
- ✓ Photographs printed on photo paper
- ✓ Greeting cards
- ✓ Anything written or drawn with crayon
- ✓ Anything marked with lipstick
Amazon deliveries: Effective March 5, 2021, MCCI does not accept packages or deliveries from Amazon, including books, magazines, envelopes, packages, and boxes.
Want to send a paperback book? MCCI requires it to be ordered online from Barnes & Noble and shipped directly from them to the facility. Paperbacks from any other retailer, distributor, vendor, or individual can be denied and returned to sender.
Magazines follow a similar rule. They must come directly from the publisher. Anything sent from another retailer, distributor, vendor, or individual can be returned to sender.
Tips
- ✓ Write the address exactly as required, with the incarcerated person’s name on the first line.
- ✓ Stick to a white #10 envelope (4-1/8" x 9-1/2").
- ✓ Send photos only as color or black-and-white copies on standard paper, not photo paper.
- ✓ If you use freeprintsnow.com, keep it to 12 pictures per delivery.
- ✓ Keep the envelope and contents plain. Avoid decorative stickers, greeting cards, lipstick marks, and anything written or drawn with crayon.
- ✓ Do not include contraband like food, cigarettes, plastic, wood, Polaroids, nude pictures, cash, personal checks, or photo-paper prints.
Quick reminder: Don't send anything to MCCI from Amazon. Those deliveries won't be accepted and will be returned.
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