What You Can't Send to Sampson County Detention Center: Photos, Cards, Books, Money & More
Mail sent to Sampson County Detention Center gets scanned and delivered to inmates on a tablet - then the physical mail is destroyed. Small details matter here. The wrong page size, too many pages, or a card with glitter can get your mail rejected instead of delivered. And if scanned mail contains illegal material or anything flagged as a security breach, it may be turned over to authorities for investigation. Threats in correspondence can lead to criminal charges.
Photos are allowed, but they have to meet certain standards. Polaroids aren't accepted. Photos can't show nude or partially clothed people. The facility also prohibits anything depicting or relating to sexually explicit activity, gang activity, illegal activity, violence, or drug or alcohol use - whether it's a photo, drawing, or any other image.
Keep photo mail simple and within the paper limits. Pages must be no larger than 8.5" x 11", and each envelope has to be 10 pages or less total. If you’re printing pictures at home, stick to standard letter-size paper and don’t overload the envelope.
Greeting Cards
- ✓ Glitter
- ✓ Glue
- ✓ Tape
- ✓ 3D elements (anything raised, layered, or bulky)
- ✓ Electronic components (including lights, music, or animation)
Sending a greeting card? Keep it flat and scan-friendly. Cards with attachments, craft materials (glitter, tape, glued-on decorations), pop-ups, or electronic features will likely be rejected instead of scanned and delivered to the tablet.
Magazines, books, packages, and publications of any kind cannot be mailed to the processing center. They simply won't be accepted.
Cash, personal checks, and money orders should not be mailed to the processing center. Money orders aren't accepted at Sampson County Detention Center anymore, so sending one is a waste of time and money.
Legal or privileged mail has different handling than regular family-and-friends mail. It must be mailed directly to the Sampson County Detention Center, and the envelope needs to be clearly marked “Legal Mail.”
Illegal substances and other contraband are prohibited. But the rules go beyond physical items - mail can't contain, depict, or relate to sexually explicit activity, gang activity, illegal activity, violence, or drug or alcohol use. This applies to photos, drawings, and written content alike.
Note: If scanned mail contains illegal material or a security breach, it can be turned over to the proper authorities for investigation. Threats of criminal activity in correspondence may result in criminal charges.
Practical Tips
- ✓ Send flat, standard photos (not Polaroids)
- ✓ Keep everything letter-size: no larger than 8.5" x 11"
- ✓ Limit each envelope to 10 pages or less total (letters, photos, drawings, and cards all count)
- ✓ Avoid anything that won’t scan cleanly (thick paper, layered items, or bulky add-ons)
- Pick a plain, flat card - Skip glitter, pop-ups, glued-on decorations, tape, and anything with lights/music/animation.
- Make sure nothing is attached - If it’s taped, glued, or layered, remove it and send a simple paper-only version.
- Choose safe photos - No Polaroids, and no images of nude or partially clothed people; avoid anything depicting or relating to sexually explicit activity, gangs, illegal activity, violence, or drug/alcohol use.
- Send items to the right place - Regular mail that meets the requirements is scanned for the inmate tablet; legal/privileged mail must go directly to the Sampson County Detention Center and be marked “Legal Mail.”
Before you mail anything, double-check the current “how to send mail” instructions for the correct address and the exact envelope formatting required for scanning. If the details on the envelope aren’t right, your mail may not be scanned and delivered.
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