Understanding Taylorville's Mail Scanning Process and What You Can Send
Mail rules can feel confusing, especially when you're trying to get a letter or photos through without issues. Here's how Taylorville's non-privileged mail scanning works, what doesn't get scanned, and what to avoid sending.
At Taylorville, incoming non-privileged mail doesn't reach your loved one as the original paper you sent. Mailroom staff scan the front and back of the envelope - plus each item inside - in color. That includes letters, greeting cards, and photographs. Those scans become PDF images uploaded to the incarcerated person's Bulletin Board. They get a notification and can download and view everything on their tablet. What this means for you: the clarity of what you send matters. Handwriting, photo quality, anything on the back of a page - they'll see the scanned image, not the original.
Note: For non-privileged mail, the tablet PDF is what your loved one reads and keeps - not the physical letter, card, or photo you mailed.
Publications work differently. They're excluded from the scanning process entirely - no PDFs, no Bulletin Board uploads. If you're sending or ordering something that counts as a publication, it won't show up as a scanned document on a tablet. Publications move through a separate track, so keep that in mind when deciding what to send and what your loved one will actually view digitally.
Tip: If your goal is tablet viewing, stick with standard non-privileged correspondence (letters/cards/photos). Publications won’t be converted into Bulletin Board PDFs.
All incoming and outgoing non-privileged correspondence gets opened and inspected for contraband. "Contraband" covers anything people in custody aren't allowed to possess - whether that's under criminal law, departmental rules, facility rules, or posted notices. The bottom line: even well-intentioned extras can draw attention during inspection and cause delivery problems. Stick to ordinary correspondence.
Reminder: Keep non-privileged mail clean and straightforward. Extra items or add-ons can be treated as contraband during inspection.
Hardback books are explicitly prohibited. If you send one to Taylorville, expect it to be refused.
Note: Skip hardbacks entirely - only send book formats the facility's mail policy permits.
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- ✓ Assume your letter, card, and photos will be scanned in color (front and back) and viewed as a PDF on a tablet.
- ✓ Write and format everything with scanning in mind (clear handwriting, clean pages, and anything important not hidden on the back of something unexpected).
- ✓ Keep non-privileged correspondence simple, since it will be opened and inspected for contraband.
- ✓ Don’t send hardback books.
- ✓ If you’re sending publications, remember they are not scanned or photocopied and won’t appear on the Bulletin Board like regular mail.
These tips come directly from Taylorville's core mail handling rules: non-privileged correspondence gets scanned to a tablet, publications skip the scanning process, and hardback books aren't allowed. For anything in a gray area - unusual enclosures, specialty items - check the facility's written mail policy before sending. It'll save you time and money on mail that won't make it through.
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