How to Send Mail to Someone at SCI Pine Grove: The Complete Guide
SCI Pine Grove uses different mailing channels depending on what you're sending. Here's how to pick the right one and format the address so your mail actually gets there.
For regular letters, greeting cards, photos, and other non-privileged mail, Pennsylvania DOC routes everything through Smart Communications, its central mail processor. Don't send general correspondence directly to SCI Pine Grove. Instead, mail it to the Smart Communications PO Box address. From there, it gets processed and forwarded to the facility mailroom for delivery.
- ✓ Write the inmate’s full, correct name and inmate number exactly as it appears in DOC records.
- ✓ If you’re including photos, keep it to 25 photos per mailing.
- ✓ Don’t send irreplaceable originals - original photos can’t be returned and will be securely destroyed after 45 days.
Note: Address general mail to Smart Communications and include the inmate's full name and inmate number. Missing or incorrect info can delay delivery - or prevent it entirely.
Books, magazines, calendars, and photo books go through a separate process. These publications must be addressed to the DOC Security Processing Center (SPC) at 268 Bricker Road, Bellefonte, PA 16823-1667. Include the inmate's name and inmate number on the label so it routes correctly.
Only original-source vendors - publishers, bookstores, online distributors - can ship publications into the PA DOC system. You can't mail a book or magazine yourself; it won't count as vendor-sent.
Photo books count as publications, so they need to meet specific requirements. They must be soft cover, no more than 25 pages (excluding the cover), and no larger than 8x11 inches.
Note: Photos have strict limits. Regular photo mail is capped at 25 photos per mailing, and originals won't be returned. Keep copies for yourself, and make sure any photo books meet the required specs before ordering.
Some items skip the general mail processor entirely. Official documents - government IDs, checks, birth certificates, Social Security cards - go directly to SCI Pine Grove. Use the Business Office format: "Attn: Business Office – Inmate name/inmate number" followed by the institution address.
- Address the envelope to the Business Office - Use the “Attn: Business Office – Inmate name/inmate number” format and send it to the institution.
- Let the Business Office handle the signing process - If the paperwork needs an original signature, the Business Office coordinates a time for the inmate to review and sign.
- Plan for return mailing through the facility - The Business Office has the inmate pay the postage to have the signed document mailed back out.
Privileged (legal) mail follows different rules. The envelope must be clearly labeled with a full return address, the inmate's name and number, and the institution's legal mail address. You'll also need an attorney or court control number. Attorneys must include the weekly secondary authentication number/time code.
Contents matter too. Privileged correspondence can only include documents that originated from the sending attorney or court. No personal letters, third-party paperwork, or extras.
Note: Legal mail that isn't labeled correctly - or contains documents not from the attorney or court - may be rejected or processed as regular mail. For attorneys, the weekly secondary authentication number/time code is what makes it privileged.
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