How to Mail Letters and Packages to Someone at Tabor Correctional Institution (TextBehind & vendor rules)
Mail a personal letter, photo, or greeting card to someone at Tabor Correctional Institution and it won't go straight to the prison. It goes to TextBehind first for screening and scanning, then gets delivered electronically.
All non-legal mail for people incarcerated in NCDAC facilities - including Tabor Correctional Institution - goes through TextBehind. Your physical letter gets screened and scanned, and the scanned images are delivered electronically to the person's tablet. That's why the mailing address looks "out of state" even though your loved one is in North Carolina. TextBehind is the first stop before anything reaches the facility in digital form.
Address the outer envelope exactly like this so it routes correctly through TextBehind: Offender Name #OPUS Number Tabor Correctional Institution (do not abbreviate) P.O. Box 247 Phoenix, MD 21131 Two details trip people up most: the OPUS number (it needs to be on the address) and the prison name (write it out fully - no abbreviations).
Heads up: If your mail isn’t addressed to the TextBehind Maryland address in the required format, it will be returned to you.
Want to get your originals back - like a handwritten note, artwork, or photos? You have a limited window. Within 30 days, you can request the original letter and contents through TextBehind customer support for a $2.50 service fee per letter (to cover return mailing). After 30 days, the originals are shredded. Don't mail anything irreplaceable unless you're ready to request it back quickly.
How to request originals: Contact TextBehind customer support within 30 days and pay the $2.50 fee per letter to have the original returned.
Don't mail packages to TextBehind expecting them to reach Tabor. TextBehind returns all packages to the sender - they won't be forwarded.
Trying to send a care package? Get the package rules directly from the facility. Contact Tabor Correctional Institution for the current, approved process.
Shopping through the official NC inmate shopping pages? The items shown there are pre-approved for delivery. That's the safest way to avoid spending money on something that won't be accepted.
Religious materials have their own rules. Religious correspondence courses, sacred texts, and Bible study materials must be pre-approved before you send them. Include these in regular mail without that pre-approval and you risk rejection.
Approved religious materials must ship a specific way: Once approved, they must be sent directly from the vendor, school, or religious institution to the correctional facility - not through TextBehind.
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- ✓ Use the required envelope format: Offender Name + OPUS number, full prison name (no abbreviations), P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131
- ✓ Double-check the address before you mail it - incorrectly addressed mail is returned to sender
- ✓ If you want the original letter/photos back, request a return through TextBehind within 30 days (there’s a $2.50 fee per letter); after 30 days originals are shredded
- ✓ Don’t send packages to TextBehind - packages are returned to sender
- ✓ For care packages, use the official NC inmate shopping pages since the items shown there are pre-approved for delivery
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