The New Mail System at Polk County Jail: How TextBehind Works and What You Can Send

Since February 14–15, 2024, personal mail for someone at Polk County Jail goes to TextBehind/Viapath's P.O. Box in Phoenix, Maryland - not the jail itself. The envelope needs the inmate's full name, their 5-digit inmate ID, and "Polk County Jail, OR" or it may not get processed.

• ✓ Polk County Jail, OR
• ✓ Inmate’s full name
• ✓ 5-digit inmate ID number
• ✓ P.O. Box 247
• ✓ Phoenix, MD 21131

The jail uses TextBehind/Viapath to screen incoming mail. The goal is keeping contraband out and protecting staff from exposure to dangerous substances.

Sending mail through the TextBehind P.O. Box is free - no extra fees beyond postage.

• ✓ Books, magazines, and newspapers are likely to be rejected.
• ✓ Polk County Jail no longer accepts paperback books sent from the public; books need to be sent directly from the publisher.
• ✓ Books sent from Amazon or other resellers will not be accepted.

Even when books are allowed through the proper channel, there's a limit: people in custody can have up to four non-religious paperback books at a time. Don't send more than four at once.

Here's how TextBehind mail works: your physical letter goes to the vendor, gets digitally scanned, then gets delivered electronically to the inmate's tablet in their housing area.

Want the original back instead of just the scanned copy? You have 60 days. Contact TextBehind within that window - after that, the original mail gets destroyed.

Need to find that 5-digit inmate ID? Polk County's public "Inmates In Custody" roster is a good starting point. It updates hourly and shows details like charges, bail amount, next court date, and attorney information.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Don’t mail original pictures or documents you consider sentimental or valuable through the TextBehind process.
• ✓ Don’t try to send books from Amazon or other resellers; they won’t be accepted.
• ✓ Don’t send paperback books “from the public” - if you’re sending books, they need to come directly from the publisher.

Money orders work differently than letters. The jail still accepts envelopes sent through USPS containing only a money order. Use this exact format: "Inmates Name - Accounts, Polk County Jail, 850 Main Street, Dallas, OR 97338." Include anything else in that envelope - a letter, a note - and the whole thing gets returned.

• ✓ Always include the inmate’s full name and 5-digit inmate ID number.
• ✓ Use the TextBehind P.O. Box for personal mail (not the jail’s physical address).

Need the original back? Act fast - contact TextBehind within 60 days of mailing. Since everything gets scanned and originals may be destroyed, I'd avoid sending anything irreplaceable. Keep the originals of sentimental photos or important documents with you.