Mail, photos, and digital mail: addressing, allowed content, and delivery methods
Mail rules in Ohio vary a lot by facility, and a growing number of places use digital delivery for personal mail. At Trumbull County Jail, for example, personal mail (letters, pictures, drawings) is delivered digitally to the tablet through a "Facility Messages" app. The instructions stress that envelopes must include the complete facility name and state (no abbreviations), the incarcerated person's full name and identifier, and the sender's full name and physical address. Only personal mail should be sent. Other facilities may require different addressing formats, and some counties have issued notices that personal mail must go through a Digital Mail Center process rather than directly to the jail. Always verify the current rules for your facility before sending anything.
Tip: If your facility uses a digital mail vendor and something seems stuck, report delivery problems to the vendor support contact the facility provides (one Ohio example lists TextBehind support).
Packages are another common stumbling block. In the federal system, packages from home generally aren't allowed without prior written approval from authorized staff, with narrow exceptions like release clothing or authorized medical devices. Even outside federal facilities, the "permission first" pattern is common. Check the facility's policy before sending any physical package.
Common Questions
Q
Can a visitor bring money, packages, or printed materials directly to an incarcerated person during a visit?
No. ODRC visitation materials state visitors are not permitted to deliver packages, correspondence, money, or printed materials directly to incarcerated people, and those items must be processed through the mail under policy. Plan to use the facility’s approved mail and money processes, and do not try to hand anything over during visiting.
Q
How do I address mail so it gets delivered electronically or accepted by the facility?
Use the facility’s exact addressing rules, and do not abbreviate the facility name if the instructions say not to. One Ohio jail example says to include the complete facility name and state, the incarcerated person’s full name and identifier, and the sender’s full name and physical address. Other facilities may require the inmate’s ID number and the jail’s full mailing address, so match what your specific facility publishes.
Q
What if I think a digital mail message or photo did not reach the inmate?
Report it to the digital mail vendor using the support contact the facility provides. One Ohio jail example directs families to contact TextBehind support for mail delivery issues.
Q
Are messages and mail screened or monitored?
Often, yes. The federal system publishes that phone calls are monitored and that electronic messages require consent to monitoring and are screened for content that could affect safety or security. For written mail in the federal system, general correspondence is opened and inspected by staff, while specially marked special mail is opened only in the inmate’s presence and still inspected for physical contraband.
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