How to send messages, photos, and packages
Mail sent to North Branch Correctional Institution follows Maryland's off-site processing model. Most letters get routed to a mail-processing vendor, inspected, scanned, and delivered electronically to the inmate's tablet or a kiosk—not the housing unit directly. General correspondence is opened and checked for contraband. Legal mail or properly marked special mail is handled differently, typically opened with the inmate present. Publications and care packages face strict requirements. They often must ship directly from publishers, approved retailers, or through an approved package program. To avoid delays: use plain white paper and a plain white envelope, include full legal names and a complete return address, and address everything exactly as required (including any ID number).
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Funding an AdvancePay account by mail is straightforward—if the facility accepts mailed payments. Here's how to send a check or money order so your payment posts correctly without delays.
Mailing a deposit works smoothly when you follow the system's expectations. Use the right payment type, include the correct identifying details, and confirm North Branch's specific rules before sending anything.
In Maryland, most inmate mail goes to an off-site mail-processing vendor where it’s inspected and scanned. Staff review the scanned content before it’s delivered electronically to the inmate’s device or a kiosk.
General mail is opened and inspected by staff for contraband. Legal or properly marked special mail is handled differently and is typically opened with the inmate present.
Yes. Publications and care packages often must be shipped directly from publishers or approved retailers, and care packages usually have to go through an approved package program to be accepted.
Sending money to someone at North Branch Correctional Institution starts with ConnectNetwork (GTL). Here are your main deposit options—online, phone, kiosk, retail cash/Western Union, and mail—so you can choose what works best.
ConnectNetwork handles deposits at North Branch Correctional Institution. You've got five options: online or through the mobile app with a Visa or MasterCard, by automated phone system with a Visa or MasterCard, in person at a self-service kiosk with cash or card, through retail cash deposits (start online, finish at a participating store), or by mail using a check or money order.
Timing depends on which account you're funding. ConnectNetwork offers four account types: AdvancePay, PIN Debit, DebitLink, and Trust Fund. For automated deposits—online, through the mobile apps, by phone, or at a kiosk—AdvancePay, PIN Debit, and DebitLink funds are available immediately. Trust Fund works differently. ConnectNetwork transmits those deposits to North Branch within one business day, but the facility's own policies determine when the money actually hits your loved one's account.
