Understanding SCORE's Contraband Rules: What could get you arrested or have mail returned

SCORE uses Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 289-02-020 as its working definition of contraband. In plain terms, contraband includes any substance or item not specifically permitted by SCORE Jail administration. If you're unsure whether something is allowed, treat that uncertainty as a red flag. Confirm the rules before you bring it in or send it.

SCORE is blunt about the stakes: anyone attempting to bring or introduce contraband into the jail will be arrested and prosecuted under RCW 9A.76 (Introducing Contraband I, II, III). Note that this applies to attempts, not just situations where contraband actually makes it inside.

SCORE also highlights the possible sentencing range for a conviction. Penalties can run from 3 months in jail up to 12 years in prison, depending on severity and whether you have a criminal record. If you're on the fence about an item, the safest move is to leave it out.

Examples Practical

• ✓ Keep quantities modest. Excess amounts of items provided by SCORE can be considered contraband.
• ✓ Do not “stock up” on facility-provided items for someone inside. More is not always better in a jail setting.
• ✓ If an item is only allowed under certain conditions, do not assume your situation qualifies. Confirm what is specifically permitted before you bring it in or send it.

This all ties back to how SCORE frames contraband under WAC 289-02-020: if an item isn't specifically permitted by jail administration, it falls into contraband territory. The "excess amounts" warning follows the same logic. An item can be allowed in normal quantities but treated as contraband once it crosses whatever limit the facility considers reasonable.

Assume all mail will be inspected. SCORE states that incoming and outgoing mail is opened and checked for contraband. If you're sending something to an incarcerated person, plan for the possibility that it will be reviewed and rejected if it raises a contraband concern.

1. Returned to sender - The envelope and its contents may be sent back if the item is considered contraband.
2. Placed into inmate property - The item may be taken and stored with the inmate’s property instead of being delivered.
3. Investigated as a criminal violation - The situation may be referred for investigation as a possible criminal violation.

This is the part families often don't expect. SCORE's contraband warning doesn't stop at losing mail or having something held back. The facility states that attempting to bring or introduce contraband can lead to arrest and prosecution under RCW 9A.76, with a conviction carrying penalties ranging from 3 months in jail to 12 years in prison depending on severity and criminal history. If a mailed item gets treated as contraband and escalated as a criminal matter, those are the risks SCORE is pointing to.