How to send messages, photos, and packages
All incoming mail at Yolo County Monroe Detention Facility is inspected daily. Unacceptable items won't be placed in inmate property—when possible, rejected mail gets returned to the U.S. Postal Service for return to sender. Every envelope must show the sender's printed name and return address on the front. Address it to the inmate's full first and last name exactly as used at booking—no nicknames or gang monikers. Polaroids and any laminated or coated photos are prohibited. Other content and format limits apply, including rules around stamps, pens, blank envelopes, and currency. Newspapers, magazines, periodicals, and softbound books are only accepted when shipped directly from the publisher or an approved website. Hard‑back books require Jail Commander approval. Inmates can receive unlimited acceptable mail but may keep only three books in their cell, subject to State Fire Marshal limits. Legal and Pro‑Per mail has special handling during inspection.
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Mail rules at Monroe are strict, but predictable. Here's how the facility handles incoming and outgoing mail, what needs to be on the envelope, and the most common reasons letters get sent back.
Sending mail to someone at Monroe Detention is straightforward—if you get the details right. Miss a name or include something prohibited, and your envelope comes right back through the U.S. Postal Service.
You can’t send Polaroids, and you can’t send any photo that has been laminated or coated. Those photos are considered unacceptable mail.
Yes, but only under specific rules: newspapers, magazines, periodicals, and softbound books must be shipped directly from the publisher or an approved website. Hard‑back books require Jail Commander approval, and the inmate may keep only three books in their cell (subject to State Fire Marshal limits).
Yes. Unacceptable mail won't be placed in the inmate's property. When possible, it's returned to the U.S. Postal Service for return to sender. Mail missing the sender's printed name and return address on the front of the envelope will also be returned.
Legal mail must be labeled “LEGAL MAIL,” opened and inspected in the inmate’s presence, then sealed by the inmate with the officer initialing the envelope. Outgoing Pro‑Per mail must be marked “Pro‑Per,” inspected and sealed in the inmate’s presence, and initialed by the pod officer.
Monroe Detention Center only allows same-day visit signups. The phone line opens at 7:00 AM the day before your visit and closes at midnight—no advance scheduling beyond that window.
Visiting someone at Monroe Detention Center is time-sensitive. You've got a narrow phone signup window, a hard midnight cutoff, and strict arrival rules. Here's how to schedule your first visit—and avoid losing it.
Sending books to someone at Monroe Detention Center is possible, but the rules are strict. Get the source or format wrong, and your package gets rejected. Here's how to do it right.
