What Happens to Your Photos and Mail When You Send Them to an Inmate in Virginia
Sending letters or photos to someone at Sussex Corrections Institution? Here's the key thing: all general correspondence gets photocopied, and the inmate only receives the copy—never your original.
All incoming general correspondence at Sussex Corrections Institution gets photocopied. Your loved one receives the copy, not the original. This applies to standard letters and anything else you send through regular mail.
Note: Expect your mail to arrive as a photocopy. The processing and copying adds time, so delivery may feel slower than usual - especially if you're used to someone receiving the exact letter or photo you sent.
Once mail is photocopied, the original envelope and everything inside gets shredded - including photos. If you send a one-of-a-kind picture or an irreplaceable keepsake, it won't be returned or preserved in its original form.
Photo reminder: Your photos will be copied and the originals shredded. Nude or semi-nude images of anyone are not accepted and can be rejected as mail contraband.
Don't mail money to Sussex Corrections Institution. Cash, checks, and anything with monetary value will be rejected. To add funds, VADOC requires you to use JPay instead.
Don't include stamps or prepaid postage envelopes in your mail. Sussex Corrections Institution won't accept them.
- ✓ Nude or semi-nude images of anyone
Tips for Sending Photos Keepsakes
- ✓ Assume everything you mail as general correspondence will be photocopied, and only the photocopies will be delivered.
- ✓ Send photos only if you’re okay with the originals being shredded after copying.
- ✓ Keep photo content clean - nude or semi-nude images can be rejected.
- ✓ If a photo is irreplaceable, don’t mail it; the original will not be preserved.
- Confirm you’re sending “general correspondence” - that’s the category that gets photocopied with only the copy delivered.
- Decide what you can afford to lose - originals (including photos) are shredded after they’re photocopied.
- Send funds the approved way - avoid mailing cash or checks; use JPay for money instead.
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