How to address letters, photos, and cards so mail is delivered
Addressing is where a lot of mail problems start. Facilities spell out exactly what they want on the envelope in their written instructions. Use that format even if it looks a little different from a normal mailing address.
- ✓ Your loved one’s full first and last name
- ✓ Their inmate ID/number (if the facility uses one)
- ✓ The facility name (or prison complex name)
- ✓ The assigned unit or housing information (if required)
- ✓ The correct mailing address listed in the facility’s mail instructions
Example (state-specific): one corrections department instructs families to address personal mail using the inmate's full name plus their department number, the prison complex and assigned unit, then send it to a Digital Processing Center P.O. box address. Treat examples like this as a template only. Always confirm the exact format for the facility you're mailing.
Common Questions
Q
Can I send photos and greeting cards to someone in jail?
Often, yes, but they have to follow the facility’s personal mail rules and they will be processed under that mail policy. Example (state-specific): one department directs personal mail, greeting cards, photos, and drawings to a Digital Processing Center address instead of a facility street address.
Q
Can I mail a package or order something online for an inmate?
Sometimes, but a common restriction is “vendor-only” packages. Example (state-specific): one corrections system allows packages and articles only when they are received directly from vendors via USPS, FedEx, UPS, and similar carriers.
Q
How should I send legal mail to ensure privacy and special handling?
Follow the facility’s legal (privileged) mail instructions, since legal mail is usually handled under separate rules from general mail. Example (state-specific): one department states legal mail should be addressed to the inmate at their assigned unit, with no changes as of 12/05/25.
Q
Can someone in custody receive and return a mail-in ballot?
In some places, yes. Example (state-specific): Arizona describes counties coordinating with sheriffs and detention facilities to set up reasonable procedures for delivery and return of ballots-by-mail, and it also notes that Arizona early ballots include a postage-paid return envelope.
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