Can You Send Photos and Cards to Rock Island County Jail? What Gets Scanned and What Doesn’t

Yes, you can send photos and greeting cards. Rock Island County Jail scans personal mail and delivers it to inmates electronically. One key detail: you need to mail items to the jail's electronic-mail address for them to be scanned. Boxes, packages, catalogs, and similar items won't be scanned and will be returned to you.

Once mail is scanned and approved, it shows up as an attachment for the inmate. They can read it for free through the Facility Message (Facility Message/GettingOut) app.

Photos and cards accepted for scanning still need to pass review. Facility staff check all scanned mail before delivering it. Nude or inappropriate photos will be denied, and the same standard applies to any scanned content.

Prefer to skip the mailbox? Family and friends can send e-Cards through the GettingOut Messaging App. Inmates view those in the same place they see scanned mail, since approved scans show up as free attachments in the Facility Message (Facility Message/GettingOut) app. If you mail a physical greeting card, both the card and the message inside will be scanned and delivered electronically.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Send photos and greeting cards as personal, direct communication to the jail’s new electronic-mail address so they can be scanned.
• ✓ Keep it flat. Boxes, packages, catalogs, and similar items are not scanned and will be returned to the sender.
• ✓ Avoid nude or otherwise inappropriate photos, since photos are subject to facility approval and can be denied.
• ✓ Expect a review step, because facility staff review and approve scanned mail before it is delivered.

1. Prepare a photo or card to mail - Photos and greeting cards count as personal mail and can be scanned.
2. Mail it to the new electronic-mail address - Only direct communication sent to that address will be scanned; packages and similar items are returned.
3. Allow time for review and approval - Facility staff review scanned mail before it is delivered to the inmate.
4. Know how it will be received - Once approved, the scan is delivered as an attachment the inmate can read for free in the Facility Message (Facility Message/GettingOut) app.