How Inmates Read Their Mail at Rock Island County Jail (And Why They Can’t Reply Through the System)

Personal mail at Rock Island County Jail gets converted to an electronic format before an inmate sees it. Letters, postcards, greeting cards, photographs, and drawings are all scanned and delivered digitally through the jail's tablet system. Once scanned, facility staff review the mail and decide whether to approve it. After approval, the inmate receives it as an attachment in the Facility Message app. Your loved one can read that attachment for free on their tablet.

1. Send personal mail - Letters, postcards, greeting cards, photographs, and drawings are scanned and prepared for electronic delivery through the jail’s tablet system.
2. Wait for staff review - Facility staff review and approve scanned electronic mail before it is delivered.
3. Inmate reads the attachment - Once approved, it is delivered as a free-to-read attachment in the Facility Message app.

No. Inmates at Rock Island County Jail can't reply to scanned mail or send digitally scanned mail back out. The tablet system is for viewing approved scans only, not two-way communication.

Your loved one can still write you through traditional U.S. Postal Service mail. If you're expecting a written response, it will come through regular mail rather than the scanned delivery system.

Once mail is approved and delivered electronically, the inmate can view it for the duration of their incarceration. It appears as an attachment in the Facility Message app, where they can read it for free.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Send a physical letter if you need a real written back-and-forth: inmates can still correspond with family and friends through traditional U.S. Postal Service mail.
• ✓ Do not expect a reply inside the scanned system: inmates cannot reply to or send digitally scanned mail.
• ✓ Write your return mailing address clearly in your letter: since replies happen through USPS mail, make it easy for the inmate to write back to you.