Sending Mail, Photos, Books, and Official Documents to Someone at SCI Retreat
SCI Retreat follows Pennsylvania DOC rules that route different types of mail to different addresses. Getting the right destination the first time means your loved one receives it without unnecessary delays.
General incoming mail (postcards, letters, and photos) does not go directly to SCI Retreat. Instead, send it to the Pennsylvania DOC's central processor, Smart Communications, at P.O. Box 33028, St. Petersburg, FL 33733. Include the inmate's full name, inmate number, and the institution name on the envelope so it gets routed correctly.
Note: This Smart Communications address is specifically for incoming non-privileged mail. Sending general letters, postcards, or photos anywhere else can delay delivery or get your mail rejected.
Photo Limits and Restrictions
- ✓ Limit photos to 25 per mailing.
Keep photo content clean. No obscenity, explicit sexual material, or nudity. Also, plan on not getting your originals back. Original photos cannot be returned to you or to the inmate.
Heads up: Original photo prints are securely destroyed after 45 days.
Books, magazines, and photo books go to a different address than letters and photos. Send publications to the Pennsylvania DOC Security Processing Center (SPC), not to Smart Communications and not to SCI Retreat. Use this format: Inmate Name, Inmate Number, 268 Bricker Road, Bellefonte, PA 16823-1667.
Vendor-only rule: Publications must come directly from original source vendors (publishers, bookstores, or online distributors). Do not mail books or magazines yourself.
Photobook Specs
- ✓ Soft cover only
- ✓ 25 pages max (not counting the cover)
- ✓ No larger than 8 x 11 inches
- ✓ Must follow DOC content rules (no nudity or obscenity)
- ✓ Must come from a third-party vendor
Original, official paperwork goes directly to SCI Retreat's business office, not through Smart Communications. This includes items like checks, birth certificates, marriage licenses, Social Security cards, and other government or financial IDs. Address the envelope using the format "Attn: Business Office – Inmate name/inmate number" followed by the institution's address.
Before you mail originals: Some facilities use a separate address for business office or special mail. Double-check SCI Retreat's facility page for the correct business office address before sending anything you can't replace.
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