Mail, photos, and publications: addressing, formats, and limits
Always use the exact addressing format your facility publishes. Don't assume two facilities in the same city use the same address. One Virginia jail shows separate mailing formats for its Main Jail and a Community Correctional Center, and requires letters to be mailed in a standard 8x12 envelope.
Package rules can be stricter than people expect. Hampton states that shipped packages and bulk mail items are not accepted for inmates. Where care packages are allowed, a common workaround is a vendor catalog program. Access Securepak, for example, requires you to create an account, choose the agency's menu, and place an order from an approved product list.
If your loved one is in a federal facility in Virginia, publication rules follow Bureau of Prisons policy. The BOP states that hardcover publications and newspapers can be received only from the publisher, a book club, or a bookstore. A warden may reject a publication only for specific security and order reasons, and must retain a rejected publication for 20 days from the date the inmate is notified so the inmate has time to file an administrative appeal.
Common Questions
Q
What address and format should I use to mail a letter to someone in a Virginia jail?
Use the exact address format published by the specific jail, since addresses can differ even within the same city. One example (Hampton) lists separate addresses for its Main Jail and Community Correctional Center and shows the inmate’s full name on the address block. That same facility requires letters to be mailed in a standard 8x12 envelope.
Q
Can I send packages or order commissary items online for an inmate?
Some facilities do not accept shipped packages at all, so you have to follow the local rule first. For example, Hampton states that shipped packages and bulk mail items are not accepted for inmates. Where package ordering is allowed, it is often done through a vendor catalog program, such as Access Securepak, which directs you to create an account, use the agency product menu, and place an order.
Q
What happens if a publication I send is rejected?
In federal facilities, the BOP says a warden may reject an incoming publication only for security, good order, discipline, or if it might facilitate criminal activity. If a publication is rejected, BOP policy says the warden will retain it for 20 days from the date the inmate is notified so the inmate can file an administrative appeal. Also, BOP policy states hardcover publications and newspapers must come from the publisher, a book club, or a bookstore.
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