Sending Mail to Worcester County Jail: The Complete Guide to Allowed Formats and What the Mail Room Does
Most returned mail gets kicked back because of formatting, not what you wrote. The rules below cover how to address the envelope, what paper and ink to use, and what happens to your mail once it arrives.
Address your mail to the Worcester County Jail & House of Corrections at 5 Paul X. Tivnan Dr., West Boylston, MA 01583. Use this exact address on the front of the envelope so it reaches the mail room without delays.
- ✓ Include the incarcerated person’s full name and their MSA# on the mailing.
- ✓ Write or type both the delivery address and your return address directly on the envelope (no address labels).
Stick to black ink, blue ink, or non-colored pencil for your letter. Any drawings need to follow the same rule: blue or black ink, or non-colored pencil only.
- ✓ Use white-lined paper only.
- ✓ Make sure the pages are free of stains, spills, or discolorations.
Use a plain white envelope. Colored, decorative, or tinted envelopes won't be accepted.
- ✓ Do not add stickers, address labels, tape, or any other adhesives to the envelope.
- ✓ The only exception is postage stamps, which are handled by the Mail Room.
Sending photos or a greeting card? Keep it simple. Worcester County Jail requires that greeting cards and photos are not multi-layered and not laminated.
Reminder: Incoming mail must be odorless, with no scent or aroma.
Postage stamps are fine, but the mail room will remove them during processing. Beyond that, keep the outside of the envelope clean: no stickers, labels, tape, or other adhesives.
Here's something to know: Worcester County Jail photocopies all incoming non-privileged mail for security purposes. The person you're writing to receives the photocopy, not the original. Originals are held for 30 days and then destroyed. Don't send anything you need back or want preserved as an original.
Practical Checklist
- ✓ Put the incarcerated person’s full name and MSA# on the envelope.
- ✓ Write in black ink, blue ink, or non-colored pencil.
- ✓ Use white-lined paper that is clean (no stains, spills, or discolorations).
- ✓ Use a pure white envelope.
- ✓ Do not use stickers, address labels, tape, or other adhesives on the envelope.
- ✓ Expect non-privileged correspondence to be photocopied, with the original held for 30 days and then destroyed.
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