What You Can and Can't Send in the Mail to Philadelphia Prisons (including CFCF)
Philadelphia prisons accept mail from friends and family, but small details can get a letter rejected. Use the checklist below to keep your mail simple, readable, and within the rules.
Quick Checklist
- ✓ Include the facility address and the incarcerated person’s ID number on the mail.
- ✓ Use pen or pencil only. Do not use crayons or markers.
- ✓ Write on plain white paper only. Do not use colored paper, construction paper, or specialty paper.
- ✓ Use a plain white envelope.
- ✓ Keep envelope decorations minimal: no more than two decorative stickers.
- ✓ Do not include glitter on a card or anywhere in the envelope.
- ✓ Photos must be 5 in. x 7 in. or smaller.
- ✓ Photos cannot show nudity, weapons, money, or drug use.
- ✓ The person you’re writing can have up to five pictures total.
- ✓ Books, magazines, and newspapers must be shipped directly from third-party sellers (for example, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Philadelphia Inquirer).
- ✓ No hardback books.
- ✓ No packages.
Addressing is where most people get tripped up. Your envelope needs both the facility address and the incarcerated person's ID number so staff can match your mail to the right person. Here's the exact format for CFCF: John Doe PPN#123456 CFCF 7901 State Rd. Philadelphia, PA 19136
Need to confirm details before sending something? Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (CFCF) is located at 7901 State Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19136. You can call them at (215) 685-7843.
Stick to pen or pencil. Crayons and markers are not allowed.
Use plain white paper. Colored paper, construction paper, and other specialty papers will get rejected, even if the message itself is fine.
Use a plain white envelope. If you want to decorate it, keep it minimal: no more than two decorative stickers. And never include glitter on a card or inside the envelope.
Photos are allowed, but there are clear limits. Pictures must be 5 in. x 7 in. or smaller, and they can't show nudity, weapons, money, or drug use.
Keep the possession limit in mind. Each incarcerated person can have up to five pictures total, so sending more than that creates problems even if every photo meets the content rules.
Want to send reading material? It has to ship directly from a third-party seller. That goes for books, magazines, and newspapers. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the Philadelphia Inquirer are all acceptable vendors.
Skip hardcovers. They're not allowed. And don't send packages of any kind, since packages are prohibited for incarcerated people in Philadelphia.
If your mail gets rejected, re-check the basics: correct address format with the person's ID number, plain white paper and envelope, limited stickers, no glitter, and photo and publication rules. Still not sure what went wrong? Contact the facility directly. For CFCF, call (215) 685-7843 or write to 7901 State Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19136.
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