What You Can and Can't Mail to Someone at NORCOR (Digital Mail Rules)
NORCOR screens all incoming mail. The safest approach? Assume anything not specifically approved will get rejected. Follow these rules to keep your letters and photos from being confiscated.
At NORCOR, "contraband" covers a lot of ground - basically anything jail staff haven't authorized an adult in custody to have. If an item isn't specifically approved for mailing, it can be confiscated.
NORCOR's digital mail center won't accept photocopies or mass-printed material. This includes things people often send trying to be helpful - printed internet articles, case studies, book chapters, magazine clippings. Planning to print something at home or copy it at work and slip it into a letter? It'll likely get rejected.
Heads up: “Photocopies” and “computer-printed” includes common add-ins like printed articles and copied pages, even if they seem harmless.
Watch out for anything that could be seen as sexually explicit. NORCOR flags this as the most common reason mail gets confiscated based on content. Even a single suggestive image or printout can get your entire mailing rejected. Keep it clean and straightforward if you want it to arrive.
Tip: Not sure if something crosses the line? Skip it and stick to a plain letter.
Common Confiscated Examples
- ✓ Anything not specifically approved for mailing (if staff wouldn’t authorize it for someone in custody, treat it as contraband)
- ✓ Maps or transportation schedules (like bus or train schedules)
- ✓ Stickers, decals, or anything with adhesive
- ✓ Cosmetics, hair care, or hygiene items
- ✓ Food, gifts, or “care package” items
- ✓ Locks of hair, ribbons, dried or pressed flowers
- ✓ Cigarettes, matches, or lighters
- ✓ Coupons or lottery tickets
- ✓ CDs or cassette tapes
- ✓ Items with unusual stains, odors, or foreign substances (like perfume, glitter, glue, lipstick)
- ✓ Loose supplies like bookmarks, stamps, stationery, paper clips, or extra writing/drawing materials
Practical Checklist
- ✓ Keep it to approved basics - if it’s not clearly allowed, assume it counts as contraband unless staff authorize it
- ✓ Don’t include photocopies - copied pages are prohibited under NORCOR’s digital mail center rule
- ✓ Skip printouts - mass- or computer-printed material (like internet articles, case studies, book chapters, or magazine articles) is prohibited
- ✓ Avoid sexually explicit content entirely - it’s the most common content-based reason items are confiscated at NORCOR
- ✓ If you’re trying to “help” by adding extras, pause - add-ins are often what turns a normal letter into contraband
When in doubt: Assume it's contraband. Check NORCOR's current mail guidance before sending - especially for printouts, copies, or anything that might be considered explicit.
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