Penmate Inmate Support Guides

How Sheridan's Mail Scanning System Works: What Your Loved One Actually Receives

Sending a letter to someone at Sheridan Correctional Center? Here's what actually happens to it. For most regular mail, your loved one won't receive the paper you sent—they'll view a scanned copy on a tablet instead.

• 1 min read • idoc.illinois.gov
How Sheridan's Mail Scanning System Works: What Your Loved One Actually Receives

Mailroom staff scan both sides of your envelope and everything inside - letters, greeting cards, photographs - all in color. Those scans become PDF images uploaded to your loved one's Bulletin Board on their tablet. They'll get a notification when new mail arrives and can download and view what you sent. The original paper stays with the facility.

How Sheridan's Mail Scanning System Works: What Your Loved One Actually Receives

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  • ✓ Publications
  • ✓ Official government documents (for example, birth certificates and Social Security cards) mailed from a government entity

All non-privileged mail - incoming and outgoing - gets opened and checked for contraband before scanning or delivery. This is standard procedure at Sheridan.

  1. Write their name and add their IDOC number right next to it - placing the individual’s IDOC number in proximity to their name on the envelope helps ensure prompt processing and correct routing.

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More from Sheridan Corrections Center, IL

How IDOC's Mail Scanning Process Works—and What It Means for Your Letters (Sheridan)

Sending mail to someone at Sheridan Correctional Center? Most personal letters, cards, and photos won't arrive as paper - they'll be delivered digitally. Here's how the scanning process works, what gets through as originals, and how to avoid unnecessary delays.

How IDOC's Mail Scanning Process Works, and What It Means for Sheridan Families

If your loved one is at Sheridan Correctional Center, most incoming non-privileged mail won't be handed over in its original form. IDOC scans that mail into PDFs, which your loved one can view on their bulletin board/tablet. There are a few exceptions to this process, and at least one format you should avoid sending entirely.

Phone & Messaging

How to Contact an Inmate at Sheridan Corrections Center, IL (IL)

Staying in touch with someone at Sheridan Corrections Center comes down to knowing which systems Illinois uses for calls and visits, and which parts you'll need to fund on your end.