YOLO
COUNTY DETENTION DIVISON
SHERIFF DEPARTMENT POLICY MANUAL
TITLE: MAIL HANDLING POLICY NO. T-100
EFFECTIVE
DATE: February 26, 1997
REVISION DATE: January 11, 2002
AUDIT
DATE:
June 4, 2007
POLICY: To maintain an orderly flow of
incoming and out-going mail in
accordance with U.S. Postal Service
regulations and California Code
of Regulations Title 15, Sections
1063, 1066. Correspondence shall
be handled in a consistent, efficient
and humane manner, while ensuring
the security and safety of the
facility, staff and other persons.
REFERENCES:
California
Code of Regulations Title 15, Sections
1063 and 1066
PROCEDURE:
INCOMING
MAIL:
All
incoming mail is inspected and
forwarded to the inmates on a daily
basis. Incoming mail, which has
been determined to be unacceptable,
shall not be placed in inmate property.
When incoming mail is determined
to be unacceptable, it will be
returned, in its entirety, to the
U.S. Postal Service to be returned
to sender. If unacceptable mail
cannot be returned to sender, the
U.S. Postal Service will place
it in their Dead Letter File.
Unacceptable
mail, which had been sent “bulk
rate” and is undeliverable,
will be destroyed or disposed of.
Detention facility staff shall
log all unacceptable mail. Inmates
will receive written notification
that incoming mail was determined
to be unacceptable.
If
mail is received for an inmate
who has been released, and/or is
no longer in custody, the mail
will be returned to sender, if
possible. If the mail cannot be
returned to sender, the U.S. Postal
Service will place it in their
Dead Letter File. If the U.S. Postal
Service returns mail to an inmate
who is no longer in custody, the
mail will be destroyed or disposed
of by detention staff. Detention
staff will not cancel subscriptions.
Forwarding address information
will not be given out.
All
incoming mail must include the
following or it shall be determined
to be unacceptable and shall
be returned to sender.
1.
The return name/address information
written on the front of the envelope.
2.
The sender’s name and a return
address. First name initial is
okay. Note: Gang monikers are not
acceptable and shall result in
the mail being returned back to
sender marked “insufficient
return name.”
3.
The inmate’s complete name
(first and last) that was used
at time of booking. Gang moniker
is not acceptable and nicknames
are not acceptable and shall result
in the mail being returned back
to sender, marked “insufficient
name” or “undeliverable
as addressed”.
All
incoming mail shall be opened and
inspected by the detention staff.
Incoming mail shall be scanned
to identify any security violations,
threats, and to verify that the
contents are acceptable. The only
exception will be mail labeled “Legal
Mail” and clearly identified
as being from state and federal
courts, any member of the State
Bar or holder of any public office,
and the Board of Corrections; however,
detention staff shall, in the presence
of the inmate, open and inspect
such mail to verify that it is
legal in nature and to search for
contraband, cash, checks, or money
orders.
Acceptable
incoming mail may include the following:
• U.S.
Postal Service money orders. No
other type of money order shall
be accepted. Mail containing other
types of money orders will be rejected.
Money orders dated more than one
week prior to receipt shall be
rejected. U.S. government checks
will be accepted.
• A
reasonable number of photographs.
Nudity, and/or obscenity are not
allowed.
• Newspapers,
magazines, periodicals and softbound
books, which are sent directly
from a publisher or Internet web
site. Note: this does not include
retail bookstores or private individuals.
No hard-back books will be accepted
unless approved by the Jail Commander.
• There
is no limit to the total amount
of acceptable mail an inmate may
receive. However, inmates may only
have three books in their
cell and the State Fire Marshal
restrictions limit the total volume
of paperwork an inmate may possess.
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Unacceptable
incoming mail includes, but is
not limited to, mail containing
any of the following:
Anything
which may be classified as contraband.
Contraband is defined as any item
defined as illegal by state law
and/or detention policy, and/or
any property which has not received
prior approval for acceptance by
detention staff, is not issued,
is altered or is in excess.
Examples
of contraband include but not limited
to:
• Weapons,
drugs and controlled substances.
• Packages
or envelopes containing property
which is so excessive in quantity
that it precludes adequate inspection,
i.e., handout material, copies
from books or magazines articles.
• Oversize
mail or cards
• Hardback
books
• Polaroid
photographs or any photographs
which have been laminated or coated.
• Any
item which has been laminated or
coated.
• Obscene material. “Obscene material” is defined as any material
whose predominant appeal is a shameful or morbid interest in nudity, sex or excretion,
when taken as a whole, by a reasonable person. Nudity means a pictorial depiction
where genitalia or female breast are exposed. The Jail Commander may approve
or disapprove certain publications for appropriateness.
• Material
or photographs which are gang related,
racially discriminatory, promotes
or incites murder, arson, riot,
violent racism, any other form
of violence or illegal activity
or which may compromise the security
of the facility.
• Stamps,
stickers or items which are “gummed” or
has adhesive on it. This includes
return address stickers. If possible,
detention staff will remove the
sticker and forward the mail to
the inmate.
• Inkpad
stamps or transfers.
• Sealed
envelopes containing additional
correspondence.
• Postage
stamps, pre-stamped postal envelopes,
blank envelopes, pen, personal
checks and currency.
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Outgoing
mail
Outgoing mail is picked up, inspected and given to the U.S. Postal Service
for delivery on a daily basis. Outgoing mail, which has been determined to
be unacceptable, will be returned to the inmate. All outgoing mail shall be
in standard white, business size envelopes, which must be purchased through
the inmate commissary.
All
outgoing mail shall include the
following or it shall be determined
to be unacceptable and shall be
returned to sender.
1.
The return name/address information
written on the front of the envelope.
2.
The inmate’s complete name
(first and last) that was used
at time of booking. Note: First
name, initials, nicknames and/or
monikers are not acceptable and
shall result in the mail being
return to the inmate.
3.
The following return address:
Monroe
Detention Center
2420 East Gibson Road
Woodland, California 95776 |
4.
All writing must be legible. Drawings,
gang-related graffiti, artwork,
etc. are not permitted, on the
front of the envelope. Violations
will result in the mail being returned
to the sender.
Outgoing
mail of a non-legal nature must
not be sealed and will be placed
in the U.S. Mail boxes in each
housing unit. Outgoing non-legal
mail shall be inspected by detention
staff and may be scanned to identify
any security violations: threats
and gang related, illegal and/or
any otherwise unacceptable material.
It will then be sealed and picked
up by the U.S. Postal Service for
delivery.
Outgoing
mail of a legal nature shall be
inspected by the pod officer in
the inmate’s housing unit
and must not be sealed prior to
that time. The envelope shall be
marked “LEGAL MAIL”.
The pod officer, in the inmate’s
presence, will scan the contents.
Upon verification of the legal
nature of the mail, the pod officer
will have the inmate seal the envelope
in his/her presence. The pod officer
will then initial the back of the
envelope and place it in the U.S.
Mail box in the housing unit. Outgoing
mail marked “LEGAL MAIL” which
is sealed and does not have the
initials of the pod officer on
the back of the envelope will not
be accepted and will be returned
to the inmate. Note: Inmates may
correspond, confidentially, with
state and federal courts, any member
of the State Bar or holder of public
office, and the State Board of
Corrections and with the facility
manager or the facility commander.
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Inmate
In-house Mail
The Monroe Detention Complex does not have an in-house mail system. All written
correspondence between inmates within the facilities shall only be through
the U.S. Postal Service. Inmates/staff shall not pass notes or make any exchanges
with other inmates, outside their pod unit.
Pro-Per
Mail
All outgoing mail being sent by an inmate that has obtained Pro-per status
from the Court shall be handled similar to legal mail. It shall be inspected
by the pod officer in the inmate’s housing unit and must not be sealed
prior to that time. The envelope shall be marked “Pro-Per”. The
pod officer, in the inmate’s presence, will scan the contents for contraband.
The pod officer will then have the inmate seal the envelope in his/her presence.
The pod officer will then initial the back of the envelope. Outgoing mail marked “Pro-Per” which
is sealed and does not have the initial of the pod officer on the back will
not be accepted and will be returned to the inmate.
Pro-Per
mail will then be sent to the Programs/Commissary
Officer for processing. The Commissary
Officer will log all Pro-Per mail,
including the date and who the
letter is being mailed to, along
with determining the cost of mailing
each item and will record the monetary
value in the Pro-Per inmate’s
file.
Inmate
Mail Complaints
All inmate inquiries, concerns or complaints must first be addressed verbally
with the Pod officer. If there is a need for further review, a blue card shall
be addressed to the Correctional Sergeant. If the Correctional Sergeant is
unable to resolve the problem, the inmate may initiate the grievance procedure.
All inquiries, concerns and/or grievances shall go through the chain-of-command.
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