Why your letter may be scanned (and how to address mail so it gets processed faster)

When non-privileged mail arrives at an IDOC facility, mailroom staff scan the front and back of the envelope in color, then scan each item inside - letters, greeting cards, photographs. Your loved one receives a scanned image of what you mailed, not the original paper you put in the envelope.

Once scanned, IDOC uploads PDF images to the incarcerated person's Bulletin Board. That's where they'll view everything that came through the mailroom.

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• ✓ Publications
• ✓ Official documents (including birth certificates and Social Security cards) when they’re mailed from a government entity
• ✓ Correspondence from IDOC staff sent to an individual in custody
• ✓ Mail identified as “unauthorized mail” under IDOC incoming mail policies and procedures

1. Write the person’s name clearly - use the name they are known by in IDOC records.
2. Add the IDOC number right next to the name - IDOC says placing the incarcerated person’s IDOC number in proximity to their name on the envelope helps ensure prompt processing.
3. Double-check before you seal - make sure the name and IDOC number are easy to spot at a glance on the envelope.

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• ✓ Expect your letter, card, or photos (non-privileged mail) to be scanned in color, including the front/back of the envelope and each item inside.
• ✓ Remember that scanned mail is uploaded as a PDF image to the person’s Bulletin Board.
• ✓ If you’re sending publications or certain official documents (like a birth certificate or Social Security card from a government entity), know those items aren’t scanned or photocopied.
• ✓ Put the incarcerated person’s IDOC number near their name on the envelope to help mailroom staff process it promptly.