One of the big scams out there that I have been noticing is various "Inmate Service" companies that claim you can contact your inmate online, or send them a message through their website. Can I send stamps to an inmate in California?California Inmate Phones/Sending Money & Mail | PrisonProAug 2, 2019Sending Mail to a California Inmate Anyone w. This is where DoNotPay comes in. Additionally, these items must be white, off-white or yellow, and card stock, sketch paper and other types of craft paper are not permitted. used books okay, hard covers should be removed and noted on invoice, New books, newspapers and magazines must come from publisher or accepted distributor. We are also licensed as a Money Transmitter by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Be sure to add tracking to your shipment or else we will not be able to confirm that we've received your stamps. Can I send money to an inmate? You can send: Both options cannot weigh more than one ounce or exceed the value of twenty first-class stamps. Include the inmates booking number on the check or money order, and make it payable to the inmate. Any funds sent to an inmate will still be subject to restitution as ordered by the sentencing court. Please be sure to package your stamps securely to prevent folding, beding, or water damage. There were many reports on drug smuggling in envelopes and under postage stamps, which is why some prisons dont accept mailed stamps. The address to send it to is on the form. Most prisons or institutions only allow inmates to receive mail through the U.S. Who Can Send Mail to a California Prison Inmate? An inmate will be permitted to possess a limited quantity of postage stamps. Magazines and newspapers can be ordered the same way, through amazon and using the same method at checkout we highlighted above. Inmate Quarterly Packages are available through authorized private vendors ( view approved package vendor list ). Reading takes people to another world and provides an adventure that is especially enjoyable for an inmate. It's important to know the policy of the facility where your loved one is detained before you send items to an inmate. If inmates receive new books, they have to send home or donate the old ones. Enter the inmate's first and last name into the corresponding fields and press "Search." Some facilities require your name and return address to be hand-written, rather than provided on a gummed or adhesive label. CDCR assumes no liability for such purchases. First, most facilities let you hold on to your photos and you can put them up in your cell, keep them as a bookmark, or just carry the photo with youtogive you inspiration throughout the day. Usually mail is delivered within seven days of it arriving at the facility, but certain circumstances such as a lockdown or a large influx of mail during holidays can slow down delivery. If you are sending 37 cent stamps for your pal to send within the US, the total still must not exceed $7.40 (20 stamps). In many locations, you can attach a photo to an email, or even record a 30-second VideoGram to send along with your letter. For an inmate to be able to write and send letters to their friends. Dont despairwe can offer you some solutions for managing your water, electric, or medical bills. Terms of Use governing use of ConnectNetwork services state that all services are intended to be used by persons over the age of 18. She has owned and operated her own income tax-preparation business since 2006. If your loved one cannot receive stamps, paper and envelopes by mail, an alternative is to send her money to buy these items from the prison commissary. However, families that purchase packages directly from a vendor are not impacted by restitution. Some states allow inmates to receive magazines and cards, while others only allow paper letters. If the mail contains any illegal or suspicious information, the inmate will not receive the letter. As if having a loved one in jail isnt difficult enough, keeping in touch with them can be challenging as well. If your letter is refused/returned you can contact the facility and ask why, but usually it will have a simple explanation provided. paper clips. CDCR vendor approval is limited to minimum security requirements and general business intent. A prepaid phone account set up by family or friends to receive inmate calls, An inmate phone account you can deposit funds into, Record secure voicemails for your inmate 24/7, Visit with your inmate via video at home or at a facility, Schedule a video visit or facility visit with your inmate, Easily pay for facility-required background check fees, Stay in touch with inmates by sending electronic messages, Share special moments with inmates by sending a photo or video, An inmates commissary account used for a variety of items, An inmate account used to pay for tablet-related content and services, Payment options for electronic monitoring, parole, restitution, community supervision and other fees, Help inmates learn with courses, modules, videos and other educational materials, Unlimited listening enjoyment with a music library of rock, pop, rap, country and more, Fun and entertainment for inmates to play popular games and puzzles, Keep inmates informed with access to popular and current real-time news stories, A robust library of ebooks with thousands of titles to educate and entertain, Easy access for listening to streaming local news, talk radio and music, Audio service for inmates to listen to TV channels broadcasted in facilities. If the text poses a security threat, your recipient will never get it. Our article gives you a quick tour of the inmate mail rules in California prison facilities. Any issues or disputes regarding the vendors products are the sole responsibility of the buyer and/or vendor, and CDCR is not obligated to mediate or resolve any such disputes (Department Operations Manual Section 54030.9.1(a)(7)). Claire is a qualified lawyer and specialized in family law before becoming a full-time writer. Purchases from vendors are at the buyers sole risk. MAIL YOUR STAMPS TO Prison Stamp Exchange 1077 N. Willow Ave. Ste 105-405 Clovis, CA 93611 STEP 3: Get Paid The email interface for the incarcerated individual is as familiar as the email program you use at home, and just as easy to use. Under no circumstances can an inmate receive incoming calls. The Federal Bureau of Prisons encourages communication between inmates and their families and friends. On top of everything, you might have to worry about dealing with bills. Aside from the stamps inmates get for the one or two free letters a week, how can they get more stamps? The photos can be as large as 8"x10" but must not contain nudity, hand gestures, tattoos, or anything illegal or gang related. The funds will be released to the inmate the fastest if the funds are sent via certified check. MIM(Prisons) is a cell of revolutionaries serving the oppressed masses inside U.$. When choosing things to send inmates, consider these five options to make your loved ones time away a bit better. What the majority of thesecompanies do, is print out the letters you type and mail it in with a stamp, meanwhile they charge you double, even triple or more to mail and it arrives no faster then if you just sent it yourself. California Prison Mail Policies according to state documents and reports from prisoners. Also keep in mind that whatever you send an inmate they will need to store, and some correctional facilities will only allow a certain number of items to be in the inmates possession at a given time. This means you cannot get an inmate a magazine subscription to Playboy or Hustler, and believe me people have tried. Sending the inmate illegal material may result in revocation of mail rights for the inmate. For instance, you can't send sharp objects that can potentially be used as weapons. JPay's correctional email service is faster than regular mail, with individuals usually receiving emails within 48 hours. Copyright 2023 California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, DOM Article 43 policy regarding Inmate Property, Lookup the inmates CDCR number using the, Determine where the inmate is located using the, Funds post to an inmate account within 1 3 days, Friends and family can deposit funds to a trust account or restitution only. Any funds sent to an inmate will still be subject to restitution as ordered by the sentencing court. There are two methods inmates can make calls. Angela M. Wheeland specializes in topics related to taxation, technology, gaming and criminal law. For example, if I were sending an inmate items who is incarcerated atUlster Correctional Facility I would address it as follows:John Doe, 12345Ulster Correctional FacilityP.O. Does the inmate have a right to legal services? Well shed some light on how inmates can get a hold of stamps and how their friends and family can help them. Postal Service mail. Some key things about ordering books are they must come NEW, and must be paperback. Sending physical mail can often be even more special to an inmate. In most cases, a guard will open and inspect mail in the presence of the inmate. Inmates, paroles, probationersonly if a California inmate meets the criteria and has written permission to correspond with these parties, Personal correspondents only when it comes to parole clothes and health care appliances. What Are the Eligible Inmate Package Vendors? Commissary money can purchase basic necessities like: Choosing healthy meals in prison is possible, but supplementing prison meals can help an inmate stay healthy and enjoy eating. The inmates first and last name and their Inmate ID number, Stamps could be considered contraband in some jurisdictions, such as. California inmates are also allowed to receive new soft cover books directly from a publisher such as Amazon.com. Even utensils, like forks, can only be made of plastic. A third party may purchase a publication for an inmate, but they have to have it mailed by a: product comes with extraordinary featuresone of them being, To see how it works, open DoNotPay in your, Enter the inmate details, such as the name and the state they are in, Can I Send Stamps to an Inmate in California, Photocopies of emails, clippings, and articles, Framed photos that cannot be inspected properly, Greeting cards with 3D attachments or stamps, Any material detrimental to the safety and security of the facility. Itwill cover mailing letters, photos, books, cards, magazines and newspapers. Though the provisions from each facility are different, most inmates are given three meals a day, a bar of soap, a place to sleep, and not much else. Before we let you in on our AI-powered system, you may need to. Here are more ways you can contact a prisoner and show them youre there for them: DoNotPay can answer more of your prison-related questions. We understand how difficult it is to have a loved one in jail and provide for them. For example, Florida Department of Corrections allows inmates to receive self-addressed envelopes only up to the equivalent of 20 (1 ounce) first class stamps. JPays correctional email service is faster than regular mail, withindividuals usually receiving emails within 48 hours. Mailing and Emailing Inmates at Adult Pre-Trial Facility When mailing a letter or postcard to an inmate, please address your mail as follows: Inmate's First & Last Name, Inmate Jacket ID# Tulare County Detentions 36714 Road 112 Visalia, CA 93291 All mail sent to an inmate at the Adult Pre-Trial Facility must include the sender's name and mailing address in the top left corner of your mail. Most prisons provide inmates with stationery so that they could send one to two letters a week. In case you dont know what California prison facility the inmate you want to send mail to is located, DoNotPay can. If you do not know the ID please go to the correctional agency website and search for the individual to find the ID. While inmates dont have direct access to the internet or internet messaging services, many correctional facilities now offer internet-based services loved ones can use to send communication. The check/money order must be payable to the inmate's name and booking number. All MIM material banned per state-wide CDC ban, 1 pound weight limit per O.P. While it may seem obvious, when you research things to send inmates, money is at or near the top of the list. No used books. Every correctional facility in the U.S. has a guide to inmate mail, which sets out its process for sending mail to an inmate, including how to address mail and what items inmates can and cannot receive. If you want to visit an inmate or send them mail but dont know how to find an inmate, DoNotPay has all the tools you need to easily locate them! An inmate package or letter doesnt always have to contain something they need. Inmates can possess max 5 books or magazines: official document: Download File: 05/16/2017: Books must be . Visit DoNotPay in your web browser, and well also help you: We have helped over 300,000 people with their problems. Inmates can have up to 10 photographs per envelope. no staples or bindings. The prison staff inspects the letters before they reach inmates, but theres still something special and personal about the written word. Unfortunately, stamps, envelopes and paper are contraband in many U.S. jails. There shall be no "Approved Vendor Lists" for any publications. Copyright 2023 California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, DOM Article 43 policy regarding Inmate Property. Some of the CDCR approved inmate package vendors are: If you want to learn more about California inmate package rules, DoNotPay can give you all the info you need. Providing your loved one with commissary funds helps them purchase snacks, and sometimes even vitamins that they can use to help lead a healthy lifestyle. Send money through one of our EFT vendors : No fee for sending money via money order, personal check, or cashiers check, Fill out Money Order Deposit Form (coupon) with sender name and address, Make check or money order payable to JPay, Mail to: JPay, 2202 South Figueroa St, Box #3001, Los Angeles, CA 90007, Do not include any letters or notes with payment, as these will be discarded, Personal checks will be held for 10 business days, Maximum of $999.99 per Money Order Deposit Form (coupon). Charging prisoners to return MIM lit to sender, Books must be softback, 5 books at a time, hardcovers can be removed before shipping. Whenever sending photos to an inmate it is a good idea to write the inmates name and ID number in pen on the reverse side of the photo. Sit back and relax while we do the work. JPays email service is a fast, feature-rich way to correspond with your incarcerated loved one. An inmate is not allowed to receive contraband items unless these are authorized by the facility. prisons, guided by the communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. The prison staff check every inmate letter and package, and if they find any contraband, it will be confiscated, thrown away, or returned to the sender. If a sticker is on a letter, the letter is returned to the sender. Cards can be emotional and powerful ways to stay connected with your loved one, especially if you are able to send them for no reason. Can get 5 blank greeting cards per envelope. It's truly maddening!! You can find the inmates facility address by selecting the prison they are in. Box 800Napanoch, New York 12458-0800. Sending Stamps, Paper and Envelopes Before you send prisoner stamps, paper and envelopes, make sure these items aren't classed as contraband. In prison and jail, there are few things to look forward to, and mail is one of them. Besides stamps, you can send gifts or care packages to a prisoner to make them feel loved and supported. With a few simple steps, well help you find them. This will confirm the inmates location and ability to receive items, and if you are unsure about what you can send contact the facility using the telephone numbers provided. Adding a personal touch with holiday and special occasions templates, DoNotPay is convenient to use with only a few simple steps to follow before we mail your letter. Prisons usually allow inmates to go to the commissary once a week or once every two weeks. We understand how difficult it is to have a loved one in jail and provide for them. You dont need to worry about how to address letters to an inmate or other rules. If your inmate is not located in the facilities listed above, you can just mail the money order or check to the inmate. This is where DoNotPay comes in. 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