How to Contact an Inmate at Yellowstone County Detention Center, MT (MT)

Yellowstone County Detention Center doesn't accept personal mail directly. Instead, personal letters are scanned by a third-party vendor and delivered electronically to the inmate. Don't mail personal letters to the facility's street address. One critical detail: the original letter and anything you include are destroyed after scanning. Items aren't held, forwarded, or returned.

Because mail is scanned, there are strict formatting limits. Keep letters to 5 pages maximum. Anything longer won't be scanned or delivered. Write on the front of each page only (the scanner can't read the back). Use standard 8.5 x 11 inch paper, and include no more than one photo per letter.

Legal mail works differently. Send it directly to the facility at 3165 King Ave E, Billings, MT 59101. Mark the envelope "LEGAL MAIL" clearly. The return address must include the sender's name (attorney, law firm, or court) and a phone number for verification.

Every inmate gets two free electronic video visits per week. You can purchase additional visits, but you'll need an NCIC account to connect with an inmate. No computer at home? Kiosks are available in the facility lobby. One account rule to know: inmates can transfer money from their TRUST (commissary) account to their COMMUNICATIONS account (fees apply), but transfers don't work the other way around.

1. Address personal mail to the scanning address - Use the inmate’s name and jacket number, then: Yellowstone Co. Detention Facility, P.O. Box 591, Long View, Texas 75606.
2. Keep it to 5 pages or less - Anything over 5 pages will not be scanned and delivered.
3. Write on the front of each page only - The scanner cannot scan the back of pages.
4. Follow the photo and size limits - Use paper no larger than 8.5 x 11 inches, and include a maximum of one photo per letter.
5. Send only what you can lose - The original letter and all contents are destroyed. Nothing is held, forwarded, or returned.

1. Mail it to the facility street address - Send legal mail to 3165 King Ave E, Billings, MT 59101.
2. Mark it clearly as legal mail - Label or stamp the envelope “LEGAL MAIL.”
3. Add verification details on the return address - Include the sending entity’s name (attorney, law firm, court, etc.) and a phone number.

1. Plan around the weekly free visits - Each inmate is allotted two free electronic video visits per week.
2. Set up your NCIC access - An NCIC account is required to schedule or participate in electronic visits.
3. Use the lobby kiosks if needed - Kiosks are available in the facility lobby for visitors.
4. Handle paid visits through the right account - Additional visits can be purchased by the inmate or friends and family. If the inmate is funding communication, they can transfer money from TRUST to COMMUNICATIONS (fees apply), but they cannot transfer funds from COMMUNICATIONS back to TRUST.

What to Verify

• ✓ Confirm you are using the correct personal-mail addressing format (inmate name, jacket number, and the P.O. Box in Long View, Texas 75606).
• ✓ Confirm the current page limit for scanned personal letters (maximum of 5 pages) and whether anything over the limit is rejected.
• ✓ Confirm the “front of page only” requirement and maximum paper size (8.5 x 11 inches).
• ✓ Confirm the current photo limit for personal letters (maximum of one photo).
• ✓ Confirm that originals and all contents are destroyed, and that items are not held, forwarded, or returned.
• ✓ Confirm legal-mail handling: the facility street address, the required “LEGAL MAIL” label, and the return address requirements (entity name and phone number for verification).

• ✓ Confirm the current allotment of free electronic video visits (two per week) and whether any limits change around holidays or housing situations.
• ✓ Confirm what you need to create and use an NCIC account for visits.
• ✓ Confirm lobby kiosk availability and any rules for using the kiosks.
• ✓ Confirm current rules and fees related to funding extra visits, including transfers from TRUST to COMMUNICATIONS (allowed, fees apply) and COMMUNICATIONS to TRUST (not allowed).

Policies and vendor procedures change, especially for mail scanning and electronic communication. Before sending anything time-sensitive, check the detention center's official information for current instructions on mail limits, legal-mail labeling, and video-visit account setup.