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How to Send Mail to Someone at Rivers CI (and Common Money‑mailing Mistakes to Avoid)

Sending mail to someone at Rivers CI is straightforward once you know the right address format—and avoid the biggest mistake: mailing money directly to the facility.

• 2 min read • bop.gov
How to Send Mail to Someone at Rivers CI (and Common Money‑mailing Mistakes to Avoid)

For letters, cards, and approved parcels, use the mailing address shown on the Rivers CI institution page. Skip the old envelope in your drawer, third-party directories, or forum posts - address formats can be picky, and small differences slow things down. Copy the address lines exactly as they appear. Include the inmate's name and register number the way the institution page shows them.

Rivers CI lists different address formats depending on where the person is housed: the main institution, the camp, or the FSL. "Close enough" won't cut it here. Before mailing anything, confirm which unit applies and use the matching format from the institution page - including the inmate's name and register number exactly as shown. If the format includes an extra identifier like "SATELLITE CAMP" or "FEDERAL SATELLITE LOW," keep it in the address. Those details help route mail to the right place.

How to Send Mail to Someone at Rivers CI (and Common Money‑mailing Mistakes to Avoid)

Stop: Do NOT send money to an inmate using Rivers CI’s facility address.

Mailed money for federal inmates goes through a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa - not through the institution's address. This applies to all federal inmates, no matter where they're incarcerated. So even if you're already sending a letter or package to Rivers CI, don't tuck in cash, a check, or a money order to "save time." It won't be processed the way you expect, and it'll delay things.

Sending a freight shipment or parcel through a non-USPS carrier? Use the freight/non-USPS shipping address on the Rivers CI institution page. Don't swap in the regular mail address - freight and warehouse deliveries are routed differently. The wrong address can mean a refusal or a long delay.

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  • ✓ Copy the address exactly from the Rivers CI institution page (don’t use an old address from memory).
  • ✓ Include the inmate’s name and register number exactly as shown.
  • ✓ Use the correct format for where they’re housed (main institution vs. camp vs. FSL).
  • ✓ Do not mail money to the facility address.
  • ✓ Keep any tracking number or receipt until you know it arrived.

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