Sending Photos to Sutter County Jail: Understanding the 3x5 'Unadorned' Rule
Sending photos to someone in jail is one of the simplest ways to stay connected, but small formatting mistakes can get your mail turned away. Here's how Sutter County Jail's 3x5 "unadorned" photo rule works and how to make sure your photos actually get through.
Sutter County Jail does allow photographs to be sent to incarcerated persons, but each photo has to meet two requirements: it must be unadorned (plain, with nothing added to it), and it can't be larger than 3 inches by 5 inches. Miss either one and your photo is likely to be rejected during mail processing.
Note: All incoming and outgoing correspondence is inspected for contraband. Keeping photos small and plain makes that inspection process simpler and quicker.
Unadorned Meaning
- ✓ No writing or messages on the photo (front or back)
- ✓ No stickers, glitter, or decorative add-ons
- ✓ No tape, glue, or photos mounted to paper or cardstock
- ✓ No staples, paper clips, or anything attached to the photo
- ✓ No lamination or plastic coverings
- ✓ No frames, borders, or extra layers added around the photo
The "unadorned" requirement comes down to safety. Sutter County Jail inspects all correspondence for contraband, and a plain photo is much easier to check. Anything stuck to or layered on top of a photo slows that inspection and creates potential hiding spots for prohibited items.
Not sure whether something counts as an "adornment"? A good rule of thumb: if it changes the photo from a simple, loose print, leave it off. The jail's mail policy is built around contraband inspection, and plain photos keep that process straightforward.
- Print or trim to 3 inches by 5 inches. If your prints come out larger, reprint them in the right size instead of folding them.
- Keep the photo unadorned. Do not add handwriting, captions, or notes on the photo.
- Do not attach anything to the photo. Skip glue, tape, staples, lamination, or mounting the picture to another sheet.
- Do a quick edge check. Make sure the photo is a single, plain print with no extra layers or decorative borders added.
- ✓ Put only the allowed writing on the envelope: the incarcerated person’s name, the incarcerated person number, and the address of the person(s) receiving or sending the mail
- ✓ Include the incarcerated person’s name and a return address when applicable
- ✓ Do not add extra notes, drawings, slogans, or other markings on the outside of the envelope
Tip: Before you seal the envelope, do one last check. Make sure each photo is plain (unadorned), 3x5 or smaller, and that the envelope only has the permitted identifying information. That extra minute can save you a rejected mailing.
- Look for what made the photo “adorned”. Remove anything that is not part of the original print (writing, add-ons, attachments).
- Reprint in the correct size. Send photos that are 3 inches by 5 inches or smaller.
- Resend only plain prints. Mail the replacement photos as loose, unadorned pictures (no extra materials attached).
If the rejection seems tied to the envelope itself, simplify it. Sutter County Jail only accepts envelopes with the incarcerated person's name, their incarcerated person number, and the sending or receiving address. Include a return address when applicable, and skip any other markings on the outside.
Note: If you resend and the photos are still rejected, contact the facility for clarification. Staff inspect all correspondence for contraband and can tell you exactly what's being flagged.
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