How mail is processed and how to address letters and photos
In NCDAC prisons, non-legal mail is screened and scanned by TextBehind, then delivered electronically to tablets. Your envelope doesn't go straight to the prison. It goes to TextBehind for processing.
Addressing is strict. NCDAC instructs that all mail be addressed to TextBehind's Maryland facility using this format: incarcerated person's name and OPUS number, the full prison name (do not abbreviate), then P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131. If you don't address it correctly, it will be returned. Your return address must include your full first and last name (not initials), or the mail can be returned as well.
Packages and shipments are handled separately from letters and photos. NCDAC warns publishers and vendors not to ship items through TextBehind because those packages will be returned. Instead, ship directly to the prison using the facility street address (for example, Central Prison, 1300 Western Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27606). If your loved one is in a federal facility, rules can be stricter. Federal guidance says inmates generally cannot receive packages from home without prior written approval, and federal mail rules distinguish between general correspondence (opened and inspected) and special incoming mail (opened only in the inmate's presence).
Common Questions
Q
How should I address mail so it reaches the tablet system and is not returned?
Use the TextBehind format: incarcerated person’s name and OPUS number, full prison name (do not abbreviate), then P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131. If you do not follow the addressing format, it will be returned, and TextBehind also requires your return address to include your full first and last name (not initials).
Q
Can I ship books or care packages directly to the prison?
For NCDAC, publishers and vendors should not ship through TextBehind because those packages will be returned, they should use the prison’s street address for shipping instead. For care packages, a common statewide option is Union Supply Direct, which advertises pre-approved packages for North Carolina prisons. If your loved one is in a federal facility, federal guidance says packages from home generally require prior written approval.
Q
Are electronic messages and mail monitored or screened?
For NCDAC prisons, non-legal mail is screened and scanned by TextBehind and then delivered electronically to tablets. Electronic messaging rules can also include monitoring and screening, for example the federal TRULINCS system states that messages are screened and that inmates and contacts must consent to monitoring (and it is text-only with no attachments).
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