How Orange County Jail's New Mail System Works (2024 Update)

As of April 2024, all regular postal mail - postcards, letters, greeting cards - is opened and scanned into the Smart Communications system. Your loved one won't receive the original anymore. Instead, it's converted into a digital copy.

Once scanned, the mail shows up electronically. Inmates view it on password-protected kiosks or tablets rather than holding the paper original. If you're used to sending handwritten letters or cards, the main adjustment is knowing delivery is now digital on their end.

1. Write the inmate’s full name - use their full name.
2. Add the booking number - include the inmate’s booking number with the name.
3. Address it to Smart Communications/Orange County Corrections Department - this is the processing line.
4. Mail it to the correct P.O. Box - Smart Communications/Orange County Corrections Department, P.O. Box 9101, Seminole, FL 33775-9174.

Want to track what happened to your mail? Smart Communications offers MailGuard, a free service. Create an account at www.mailguardtracker.com to check delivery status, get notifications about rejected mail, and download copies of processed items. It's helpful when you're trying to figure out whether something was processed, rejected, or just hasn't arrived yet.

Exceptions and Special Items

• ✓ Mail money orders separately (don’t include them with letters or cards).
• ✓ Address the envelope to: Inmate Fiscal Department, P.O. Box 4970, Orlando, FL 32802-4970.
• ✓ Write the inmate’s name and booking number on the envelope.
• ✓ Write the inmate’s name and booking number on the money order.

Legal mail works differently. Either the inmate or a staff member opens it in the inmate's presence using a Legal Mail Scanning Cart. The document is scanned and displayed so the inmate can verify it's legible, then sent to their legal mail portal on Smart Communications. After verification, the original is shredded in front of the inmate to protect privacy. Inmates can print a physical copy if needed.