What Happens to Your Mail When You Write to Someone at USP Atwater
Mail to USP Atwater falls into two buckets, and the bucket determines how it's opened and checked. Once you understand the difference between general mail and special mail, you'll have a much better sense of what will make it through—and what might get delayed or rejected.
When you write to someone at USP Atwater, the Bureau of Prisons classifies your letter as either general mail or special mail. That label matters - the two categories go through different screening and delivery processes. Most everyday letters from family and friends count as general mail. Special mail is a separate category with its own rules for how it's opened.
Note: Special mail that’s properly marked as special mail may be opened only in the inmate’s presence, but it’s still inspected for physical contraband.
Staff open and inspect general correspondence for two main reasons: keeping contraband out, and screening for content that could threaten the facility's security or good order. Even harmless-seeming letters take time because mail isn't just sorted - it's reviewed as part of the institution's safety process.
Special mail gets handled differently, but it doesn't skip inspection. If the item qualifies as special mail and is marked correctly, it may only be opened with the inmate present. Staff still check for physical contraband and verify that any enclosures actually qualify as special mail.
Packages are where many families get surprised. At USP Atwater, inmates can't receive packages from home unless there's prior written approval from the inmate's unit team or another authorized staff member. Send a box without that approval, and it may not be accepted for delivery.
- ✓ Release clothing
- ✓ Authorized medical devices
Want to send reading material? Think "commercial publication," not "care package." The BOP allows inmates to receive certain publications from the community, and magazines and books typically need to come directly from a publisher - not from your home address.
Release clothing is one of the few exceptions to the home-package rule, but coordinate before you mail anything. Since USP Atwater generally doesn't allow packages from home without prior written approval, have your loved one check with their unit team first. That way you're following the institution's process and sending only what will actually be accepted.
- Give it a little time and keep your proof - hold onto your mailing receipt or tracking number so you can reference dates and details.
- Ask your loved one to check with their unit team - mail screening and delivery are handled inside the institution, and the unit team is usually the starting point for figuring out what happened.
- Avoid re-sending the same item right away - if something was rejected because of how it was sent (especially packages), sending a duplicate can create more delays.
If you need to make an inquiry beyond the institution, you can contact the BOP Central Office at Federal Bureau of Prisons, 320 First St., NW, Washington, DC 20534, or call (202) 307-3198.
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