How to Send Pictures to Inmates

By: Robert Ceville

prohibido image by Leonardo Jerez from Fotolia.com

Corresponding with inmates can include more than just mere letter writing, but you will have to adhere to a jail or prison's specific guidelines for it to receive pictures from you. Receiving photographic imagery can be a highpoint of an inmate's day during incarceration, so you want to make sure that the images will reach him, without being returned at his expense. With the knowledge of what is considered acceptable, you will be able to guarantee their arrival.

Determine the size of the picture(s) you want to send to the inmate. Most prisons and local jails require that the envelopes remain 8 by 10 inches or smaller, so keep that in mind when choosing which photos to send.

Write the prisoner's full name and Department of Corrections number on the back of each picture you plan on sending. Pictures without this information will not be allowed through the prison mail system.

Send only pictures that have not been laminated, do not contain nudity and have not been taken with a Polaroid camera. Stickers and pictures with adhesive backings will also be returned.

Remove any signs of URLs from pictures printed from your computer, as well as any type of other website-specific content. This can be done by using a black-tipped marker, or by cutting off the portions of the pictures containing the text with a pair of scissors.

Place the pictures in a non-padded envelope without any type of ribbons or yarn, then write the prison or jail's address, along with the inmate's full name and DOC number on the front. As long as you adhere to these guidelines for sending pictures through the strict prison mailing system, your recipient will receive them without any problem.