Should You Use NCIC Messaging or Mail a Letter to Van Zandt County Jail?

The Van Zandt County Sheriff's Office directs families to the NCIC inmate messaging system for communication. Through NCIC, you can send a written message and attach photos or documents. The Sheriff's Office describes delivery as instant.

One reason NCIC feels simpler: the end result is always electronic delivery, even when what you send starts as paper. Mail that goes through the jail's processing setup gets scanned and delivered electronically for the inmate to view. The Sheriff's Office also states there are no limits on how many messages or photos you can send through NCIC.

On cost, the Sheriff's Office lists NCIC pricing at $0.25 per message and $0.35 per picture or document. That's easier to budget than paper mail supplies and postage, especially if you plan to send frequent updates or multiple photos.

NCIC messaging is the fastest option the Sheriff's Office describes. Messages and any attached photos or documents are delivered instantly. It's also cost-friendly for quick check-ins, since pricing is posted per message and per picture/document.

If you mail a letter through the jail's processing route, the paper doesn't stay paper. The Sheriff's Office explains that incoming mail is scanned at a central location, then sent to the inmate electronically through the same messaging system so they can view it on the kiosk. That's convenient, but it means your inmate sees a scanned copy, not the original.

Some mail shouldn't go through the general scanning route. The jail's policy materials state that legal and commercial mail should continue to be sent directly to the facility. If you're sending something that qualifies as legal or official correspondence, follow the direct-to-facility process rather than routing it through a third-party processing setup.

• ✓ Send legal (and other official) mail directly to the facility, not through the general processing route.
• ✓ Do not send irreplaceable originals through the scanning vendor, since the original physical mail is destroyed after processing.

Before you spend money on messaging credits or drop a letter in the mail, confirm the current system the Sheriff's Office is using. Van Zandt County materials reference different setups and transition points: an earlier notice about sending non-legal mail electronically or through a vendor processing address, a later notice about routing most inmate mail to a central PO Box for processing, and the current NCIC inmate messaging option for instant delivery. Policies and vendors can change, so check the Sheriff's inmate mail information first to make sure you're following the active instructions.

1. Check the Sheriff’s inmate mail information: Look for the latest instructions on what to send through electronic messaging versus what must be mailed.
2. Confirm the current processing route: Verify the correct vendor or PO Box process for general mail, and any page limits that apply.
3. Double-check rules for legal or medical needs: If you are sending time-sensitive or official documents, confirm the direct-to-facility mailing rules before you send anything.