IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION'S MAIL GUIDELINES.


THIS INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM THE IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WEBSITE.


Visiting and Mail Information - Idaho Department of Correction

Mail Information
For a brief overview of mail procedures, read our brochure [PDF].
How to address mail:
First Line: Name of Institution
Second line: Name of offender followed by his/her inmate number
Third Line: Offender's housing unit
This is followed by the rest of institution's mailing address.
Learn more about the do's and don'ts of sending mail to offenders. Read our mail policies.

Mail Definitions - Special mail, contraband, authorized items, and obscene items defined.

Incoming Mail - Make sure your mail is not returned to sender.

Special Mail - Mail from certain federal, state, and local government officials as well as attorneys is considered "special" and treated differently than general mail.

Contraband and Prohibited Mail - Mail that violates policies may be returned to sender or given to the proper authorities.

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Policy Statement
It is the policy of the Idaho Board of Correction that the Department of Correction will provide supportive services to inmates in an equitable and fair manner. Services are important in the care and treatment of inmates and can assist in the rehabilitation process.

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Terms Defined
General mail
All mail other than special.

Special mail
Correspondence to or from the president or vice president of the United States, members of the U.S. Congress (except bulk mailing), embassies and consulates, governors, state attorneys general, U.S. Department of Justice, members of the state legislature (except bulk mailing), courts and court staff, legal departments of cities and municipalities, attorneys, Idaho Parole Commission staff, Idaho Board of Correction, and the director or facility heads of the Idaho Department of Correction.

Contraband
Items prohibited or not authorized by departmental procedures or law, specifically including, but not limited to:
Items received in a letter or package not authorized by policy or directive.

· Received packages without prior authorization.

· Publications or items which describe the manufacture of weapons, bombs, explosives, escape materials, or the manufacture of alcohol and drugs.

· Publications or items evidencing gang involvement or activities (e.g., enemy lists, constitutions, structures, codes, signs, symbols, photographs, drawings, training material, clothing, etc.).

· Publications or items which advocate that any ethnic, racial, or religious groups are inferior for any reason and make such groups an object of ridicule and scorn; and it may be reasonably thought to precipitate violent confrontation between the recipient and any other inmate and a member or members of the targeted group. No publications will be withheld solely on the basis of their appeal to a particular ethnic, racial, or religious group.

· Publications not mailed direct from the publisher or a bookstore.

· Magazine, book, or newspaper clippings of any size, except those which refer to immediate family, such as wedding and birth announcements, obituaries, etc.

· Stickers of any kind (paper or non-paper), postage stamps, and envelopes, except stamps that were attached to the envelope for mailing and return address labels.

· Greeting cards that are padded, laminated, musical, or larger than 8"x10".

· Photographs larger than 5"x8" and those instant photographs with layers.
Authorized items
Items other than correspondence allowed to arrive through the mail (excluding packages):
· money orders or cashiers' checks.

· photocopies.

· photographs (5"x8" or smaller) except instant photographs with layers.
There is no limit on the number of photocopies of legal documents. Other documents are limited to five (5) letter size copies.

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Prohibited Mail
Offenders are prohibited from using the mail for the following:
· Receiving any contraband or anything of an illegal or threatening nature.

· Soliciting or accepting any publication or item which has not been paid for in advance.

· Obligating themselves or others to time payments.

· Joining or participating in book, record, tape, or CD clubs, either personally or via a third-party.

· Soliciting or accepting anything of value without written approval of the facility head or designee.

· Sending any item other than correspondence (written mail) out of the institution without the written approval of the facility head or designee.

· Sending or receiving mail for another offender (i.e. third-party).
· Sending or receiving mail with coded messages.

· Information related to the crime or sentence of another offender.

· Directing or conducting any business operations, except as necessary to protect real property or close out a business.

· Receiving mail delivered collect-on-delivery (COD).

· Sending mail by COD.

· Sending mail via any provider other than the U.S. Postal Service (for example United Parcel Service (UPS) or Federal Express (FedEx)).

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Prohibited Sexually Explicit and Pornagraphic Material
· Sexually explicit and pornographic material includes books, pamphlets, magazines, periodicals, or any other publication or any personal pictures, drawings, or photocopies of any of these items that depict or feature nudity or sexually explicit conduct.

• Nudity in this SOP means a pictorial depiction where buttocks, genitalia or female breasts are exposed.

• Feature in this SOP means that a publication contains depictions of nudity or sexually explicit conduct on a routine or regular basis or promotes itself based upon such depictions in the case of individual one-time issues.

• Sexually explicit in this SOP means a pictorial depiction of actual or simulated sexual acts including sexual intercourse, oral sex, or masturbation.

• Pornographic material also includes individual pictures, photographs, or drawings of nudity or sexually explicit conduct that are not part of a book, pamphlet, magazine, periodical, or other publication.

Note: Publications containing nudity illustrative of medical, educational or anthropological content may be excluded from this definition.

Publications, drawings, photocopies, and other pictorial materials that contain pictorial depictions where the female breast is partially exposed are permitted using the following guidelines: bikini tops, halter tops, or covered by other means such as the woman’s hands or arms, or other items that provide similar covering are permitted.

Pasties, shear see-through clothing, or where any part of the nipple or areola are visible are not permitted.

Publications, drawings, photocopies, and other pictorial materials that contain pictorial depictions where the buttock is partially exposed are permitted using the following examples as guidelines: Bikini bottoms, shorts, French-cut panties/swimwear are permitted. Thongs, g-strings, etc. are not.

Publications, drawings, photocopies, and other pictorial materials that meet the description of nudity in this section, but the person has clothing or other covering that is transparent or virtually transparent, are not permitted.

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Prohibited Outgoing Mail
The facility head can prohibit outgoing mail that falls within the following categories:
• Correspondence with minors where the minor’s legal guardians object, in writing, stating that they wish the correspondence to be discontinued.
• Correspond with minors, except immediate family, unless the legal guardian has granted permission, which is documented in writing.
•Correspondence with individuals who have filed a written request to have correspondence discontinued

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Incoming Mail
All incoming mail must be clearly addressed with the inmate's committed name (no nicknames), IDOC number, institution, and housing assignment. Mail that is incorrectly addressed may be returned to the sender under the guidelines listed below.
· Generally, incorrectly addressed mail will be delivered with notification of need for address change.

· Repeated violations by the sender may result in mail being returned to the sender.

· When an inmate is transferred to a different housing unit or institution, mail will be forwarded for a period of 60 days from the last date of transfer. After the 60-day limit, the mail may be returned to the sender.

· When an inmate is paroled or released from the custody of the Department of Correction and the address is known, mail will be forwarded for a period of 60 days. After 60 days the mail may be returned to the U.S. Post Office. The inmate should file a change of an address with the post office.

· When an inmate is paroled or released from the custody of the Department of Correction and the address is not known, the mail is returned to the sender if possible.

· Mail may be returned to the sender when inmates refuse to notify senders of their correct address or encourage senders to use an incomplete or incorrect address.

· Whenever mail (other than third class bulk rate also known as junk mail) is returned to the sender, a photocopy of the envelope stamped with the reason for return will be sent to the inmate if he can be identified.

· Third class mail (bulk rate also known as junk mail) incorrectly addressed will not be delivered and will be destroyed.
Incoming mail will be opened, inspected, and may be read to make sure that it does not violate the secure and orderly operation of the facility, does not adversely affect the rehabilitative progress of the inmate(s), is not obscene, or does not conflict with the intent of the institutional mail procedures.

Incoming mail, which presents no procedural problems, will be processed and delivered within 24 hours of receipt, Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.

Books, magazines, and newspapers may be received only from the publisher or a bookstore. Publications may be new or used.

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Special Mail
Incoming special mail will be logged with the name of the inmate, the name of the sender, and the date received.

Special mail will be opened only in the presence of the inmate.
Special mail which is opened in error will not be read, but will be immediately resealed. The staff opening the mail must mark the mail opened in error, sign, and date the envelope. The error will be documented in the mail room log.

Every effort will be made to identify the recipient of mis-addressed special mail and have it delivered.
· If the inmate cannot be properly identified, the special mail may be returned to the sender.

· Incoming mail with stickers, stamps (other than canceled postage or international stickers from postal authorities), or other articles affixed that can be used to conceal contraband. Return address labels are authorized.

· The stickers, stamps, or affixed items will be removed (if possible) and the mail delivered;

· the envelope will be photocopied, and the photocopy and the contents of the envelope delivered to the inmate.
The above procedure will be used if the contents of the envelope have items affixed.

Incoming special mail must have the return address on the front of the envelope, which must clearly indicate that it is from one of the sources identified in section 1 of this definition. The front of the envelope must be clearly marked "Special Mail" or "Legal Mail."

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Contraband
Contraband received is handled as follows:
· Cash, personal checks, and two-party checks will be removed from the envelope and returned to the sender.

· Any money order or cashier's check will be credited to the inmate's trust account.

· Greeting cards that are padded, laminated, musical, or larger than 8"x10" will be returned to the sender in the original envelope along with all other contents of the envelope.

· Other items not authorized by policy or directive will be inventoried and sent to the property officer. The property officer will send a copy of the inventory to the inmate. The confiscated items will be placed in the property contraband storage and disposed of according to Department policy.
Care will be taken at all levels of the mail handling and delivery system to ensure that mail is delivered intact to inmates and not tampered with, except as necessary to determine compliance with this directive.

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Prohibited Mail

The department has determined that some types of mail pose a threat to the secure and orderly operation of institutions. Specifically, correspondence that:

· Describes how to obtain, build, or manufacture drugs, intoxicants, weapons, or explosives.

· Concerns, invites, advocates, aids, or abets escapes, riots, insurrections, threats of physical harm to another person, threats of criminal activity, or plans to send contraband into the facility.

· Is obscene.

· Isn't allowed by federal or Idaho laws.

· Other materials, which in the opinion of the facility head, present a clear and present danger to the ability of the facility head and his staff to control the inmate population, also can be prohibited.

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