Mail, photos, and how facilities handle incoming correspondence
Mail rules vary a lot from one Alabama facility to another, especially around photos. Madison County Detention Facility states that all incoming personal correspondence (letters, cards, and photographs) is digitized and delivered to inmates in digital form only. To address mail correctly, include the inmate's first and last name and booking number, then use the facility's P.O. Box mailing address. Because scanning is involved, originals may not stay at the jail for long. Madison County retains original personal mail items for seven days after scanning. Inmates may designate someone to retrieve the originals within that timeframe. Other Alabama jails provide different mailing addresses. Cullman County Detention Center publishes a P.O. Box address for inmate mail that is not the same as the facility's street address. For ADOC prisons, "packages" are typically handled through approved programs. ADOC publishes that order forms for approved property and hygiene incentive packages are available online. Family and friends can order these incentive packages online, by phone, or by mail through Union Supply.
Warning: If a facility digitizes mail, sending it to the wrong address or leaving off the booking number can mean delays or rejection. Follow the facility’s addressing format exactly.
Common Questions
Q
Can I send photographs in the mail?
In some Alabama jails, yes, but the photos may be scanned and delivered digitally instead of given as originals. Madison County states that all correspondence, including photographs, is delivered to inmates in digital form only, and it also requires you to address mail using the inmate’s name and booking number.
Q
How long will the facility keep original mail after scanning?
Madison County states it retains original personal mail items for seven days from receiving them after the mail is scanned and delivered digitally. It also states inmates may designate someone to retrieve originals within that seven-day timeframe.
Q
Where can I find forms or instructions for visitor background checks or fingerprinting?
If your loved one is in a federal facility, the BOP provides a visitor questionnaire and release form (BP-A0629) that must be completed and returned to the institution address for visiting privileges to be considered. For fingerprinting, a Geneva County instruction sheet states fingerprints may be taken at the Geneva County Jail by appointment only and includes details about an FBI mail option for background checks.
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