 Outgoing General Correspondence
Procedure B: Outgoing General Correspondence
1. Outgoing General Correspondence:
Each facility shall provide envelopes and writing materials in reasonable quantities to prisoners to ensure an opportunity for constructive correspondence. Each prisoner shall be offered free postage for up to two (2) one-ounce letters per week, which may not be carried over from week to week.
Each prisoner shall place all outgoing general correspondence in a designated secure prisoner mailbox, except that a prisoner who has no access to a prisoner mailbox shall hand all outgoing correspondence to a housing unit staff person. The staff shall place the prisoner
correspondence in a prisoner mailbox or deliver it to the facility mail staff.
2. All outgoing general correspondence shall conform to the following standards:
a. The prisoner’s full name and MDOC #, facility name, and facility address shall be in the upper left-hand corner of the envelope. The envelope must be stamped with the notice and disclaimer that it is coming from a correctional facility. The prisoner shall put nothing other than the recipient’s name and address, the prisoner’s name, facility name and address, and postage on the envelope. Any envelope not meeting these requirements may be opened and handled as set out in Procedure A.13.
b. The mail shall not contain contraband. Any mail in violation of this requirement shall be handled as set out in Procedure A.13. (a).
c. The mail shall not contain any correspondence or any item intended for any person other than the addressee or from any person other than the prisoner.
Any mail in violation of this requirement shall be handled as set out in Procedure A.13.
d. The envelope shall be sealed by the prisoner unless the prisoner has filled out a money transfer form to go with the envelope.
e. The mail or other designated staff shall visually and physically inspect each outgoing envelope to ensure that a Department of Corrections disclaimer appears on the envelope and to check for possible contraband. Outgoing general mail may be opened and inspected when the Chief Administrative Officer, or designee, has reasonable suspicion that the mail contains contraband or is otherwise in violation of this policy and procedures.
f. Mail, or other designated staff, shall be responsible for the collection of all outgoing correspondence. A collection schedule shall be posted in all housing units
g. Mail or other designated staff shall ensure proper postage, paid for by the prisoner or within the prisoner’s free mail allotment, is affixed to all correspondence or return the correspondence to the prisoner.
__________________ The pessimist complains about the wind;
the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.
William Arthur Ward
Last edited by Skye; 03-04-2008 at 11:56 PM.
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