What You Can't Send in the Mail to Santa Ana Jail (and why)

Santa Ana Jail rejects mail that can't be inspected without damaging it - multilayered greeting cards, Polaroid photos, anything laminated or glued. The logic is straightforward: if staff can't open it up and check it safely, they won't clear it for delivery.

Sending photos? Keep them 5 x 7 inches or smaller, including the paper they're printed on. Anything larger won't be delivered.

There's also a weekly cap: 15 photographs per inmate. If you have more to send, spread them across multiple weeks so extras don't get rejected.

• ✓ Photos showing nudity
• ✓ Photos with gang-related imagery
• ✓ Photos showing weapons
• ✓ Photos showing drugs

Other Prohibited Items

• ✓ Wall posters, travel brochures, and wall calendars
• ✓ Catalogs (other than religious)
• ✓ Any item larger than a legal-size piece of paper
• ✓ Credit cards and personal checkbooks
• ✓ Original certificates (for example: marriage certificates, driver’s licenses, diplomas)
• ✓ Any article of clothing, hygiene item, or other personal property

These restrictions boil down to security. Multilayered cards, Polaroids, laminated items - if staff can't inspect something without destroying it, they won't accept it. Food creates obvious screening problems, so it's never delivered. Save yourself the trouble and stick to approved mail items.