Q: What is digital postal mail?
A: Digital postal mail is your original scanned communication to your loved one delivered to tablets and terminals inside the correctional facility.
Q: Why is my loved one’s facility going to digital mail?
A: The correctional facility has chosen to contract with Securus to provide digital mail. There have been instances of senders abusing the mail system, which creates potential harm for everyone in the facility. Some substances trafficked through postal mail are so highly toxic that even a tiny amount (the equivalent of five grains of salt) introduced in a facility can prematurely end the lives of incarcerated individuals and staff, leaving families and friends without their loved ones.
Q: What does this mean for me?
A: You will send mail to a secure central station where it will be processed and delivered directly to your loved one digitally, without anyone in the correctional facility handling it.
Q: What does this mean for my incarcerated loved one?
A: Your loved one will no longer receive the actual paper mail you send, but it will be scanned and sent digitally so it can be enjoyed again and again by tablet and at terminals inside the facility. Both the envelope and its contents are scanned – front and back – in color, preserving all handwriting, drawings, etc., for your loved one!
Q: How quickly will my loved one receive my mail?
A: Scanned mail is typically delivered to the facility within 48 hours of receipt at the P.O. box.
Q: Why doesn’t my loved one have privacy for mail?
A: The correctional facility has chosen to contract with Securus to provide digital mail, and Securus is providing this service in accordance with the facility’s requirements and policies. State and federal laws set privacy parameters for all aspects of an incarcerated individual’s possessions.
Q: What about confidential documents?
A: Any mail item with an attorney or law firm address, as well as official medical or financial correspondence, is not scanned and is returned to its sender.
Q: Can I send as much digital mail as I would like?
A: Yes! Our digital mail policy eliminates restrictions on the quantity of mail an individual can possess at any given time.
Q: Will my loved one still be able to send letters?
A: Yes! Incarcerated individuals can mail letters the same way as always.
Q: What limitations are put on digital mail that weren’t there for physical mail, and who decides what types of digital mail incarcerated individuals can receive?
A: The facility where your loved one is incarcerated sets the applicable restrictions, and Securus implements those restrictions at the agency’s direction. Any legal mail, including all mail items with an attorney or law firm address; newspaper and magazine clippings (however, if those items are scanned and printed on 8.5” x 11” they can be accepted); sticky notes or any items attached using tape; items that have been bound by staples, adhesives, paperclips, or any other binding agent; greeting cards with die cuts or pop-out designs; sparkles or glitter; items smaller than 4” x 6” (however, if those items are scanned and printed on 8.5” x 11” paper they can be accepted), as well as packages and certified mail cannot be scanned.
Q: Is there a cost to me or to my loved one for this service?
A: There is no cost to you or your loved one!
Q: What happens to my original mail items?
A: After Securus receives it, scanned mail is stored for 90 days before disposal. Items that cannot be scanned for digital delivery will be returned to you. If drug or weapon contraband is identified, local law enforcement may be engaged, and the mail item will not be scanned. When a mailed item contains prohibited content (such as graphic nudity, or sexual acts), it is rejected and returned to you.
Q: In addition to curbing illegal substances entering facilities, what other benefits does digital mail provide?
A: Digital mail allows the incarcerated community – whom we know deeply treasure messages from family and friends – easy access to these communications. Digital mail can be saved and enjoyed over and over, at times when a connection with family and friends matters most, without the fear of damage or loss. It also loosens restrictions regarding the quantity of mail your loved one can possess at any given time.
Q: How long will my loved one have access to digital mail received during incarceration?
A: Digital mail is stored and accessible for your loved one to view and cherish again and again at the facility, as long as this digital mail policy is in place.