Last Updated on May 11, 2022 by Fair Punishment Team
Writing letters to inmates in jail is not a new concept. This is something that people have been doing for a long time, and it might be something that you have considered doing yourself.
Some people write letters to loved ones who have found themselves in prison, others write letters to complete strangers. But, either way, the process of writing to somebody in prison is exactly the same.
If you are new to writing a letter to an inmate, then it is likely that you don’t know where to begin. But, the process is actually pretty easy, assuming that you know which prison that inmate is being kept at.
This isn’t the only information that you need, but it is very important in being able to gather the information that you need. So, how do you address a letter to an inmate? Let’s find out.
Can You Write To Somebody In Jail
If you have recently had a loved one go to prison, then you are probably eager to contact them.
Watching somebody that you love go to jail can be incredibly difficult, and that is not to mention having to adjust to suddenly not having that person by your side.
But if you can write letters, you can keep in contact with that person, and create keepsakes along the way. So, can you write to somebody who is in jail?
Yes, you can contact somebody who is in jail by writing letters. As we have said, this is a method of communication that has allowed those on the outside to reach those on the inside for many years.
In the modern day, you cannot only reach inmates by sending letters, but you can also reach inmates in many prisons by email too.
But, when it comes to contacting inmates, it is important to remember that there is a difference between prison and jail.
In this guide, we’ll be taking a look at how to address a letter to an inmate in prison and an inmate in jail. Likewise, we’ll take a look at how to address an email to an inmate in prison and in jail. So to find out, keep on reading.
How To Address A Letter To An Inmate
An Inmate In Jail
First, let’s take a look at how to address a letter to an inmate in jail. Jail is a place where people are kept before they are convicted of crimes.
It is also a place where some inmates may reside if they have been charged with minor crimes. So, here is how to write to an inmate in jail.
To do this, you first need to visit the website of the jail where the inmate you want to write to resides.
All the information that you need will be available on this website, including the physical address of the jail, and the mailing rules for that jail.
It will also have the inmate database. From here, you will be able to gather the inmate’s booking number and name.
Then, take a regular envelope and pop your letter inside. In the center of the front of the envelope, you should start by writing the inmate’s name and booking number.
This will be the first line of the address. On the second line of the address, you should add the jail’s address.
On the third line, you should add the city where the prison is located, the State, and the zip code.
Before you send the letter, you will need to add your own address. You should put this on the top right-hand corner of the envelope.
Begin with your full name (line 1), followed by your street address (line 2), and finally your city, State, and zip code. Then take your letter to the post office to post to the jail.
An Inmate In Prison
The process for an inmate in prison is slightly different. That is because prisons are different to jails as prisons are used to confine individuals that have been convicted of serious crimes. So here is how to address a letter to an inmate in prison.
First, you will need to find the necessary information for the person that you want to write to. To do this, you should visit the State’s department of Corrections website.
From here, you should navigate to the precise prison, this will ensure that you get the information for the correct inmate.
Once you have this information, you should lay out the front of your envelope in the same way you would an inmate for jail.
So begin with the inmate’s name and booking number, followed by the jail’s address, finishing it with the city, State, and zip code.
Once again, we would recommend using the post office, rather than a courier as some prisons will reject parcels and letters sent via courier.
How To Address An Email To An Inmate
An Inmate In Jail
If writing a letter isn’t possible for you, you could instead write an email to the inmate that you want to contact. This is something that a lot of jails and prisons are starting to offer.
But, it is important to remember that the person that you are writing to will receive a printed copy of your email, they won’t be able to reply to your email.
To email an inmate in jail, you first have to visit the jail’s website. On their website, you will find an email address, the inmate details for the person you want to contact, and the email address to which you should send the email.
With this email address at the ready, simply navigate to your usual emailing service and pop the address into the ‘to’ section, and a subject line which contains the inmate’s name and number, then start typing.
When your email is ready to go, simply press send. When your loved one writes back to you, this will come in physical form as they will not be allowed to use the internet.
An Inmate In Prison
Emailing inmates in prisons is slightly different as your email address will need to be approved. So, you will first need to send a letter to the inmate containing your email address.
This allows them to add you to their contact list.
Once your email address has been added, you will be contacted by Corrlinks. This service will set up a direct passage for you to send your emails to the inmate in question.
They will then be able to respond to you via letter.
Summary
So, sending a letter to an inmate in prison actually isn’t as difficult as you might expect.
You can easily gather all the information that you need by looking at the website for the jail or prison where the inmate resides.
Once you have this information, then you simply have to put their name and inmate number, along with the location of the jail/prison on the letter, and then it is ready to post.
