Communication is important in any relationship, but becomes increasingly crucial when that relationship becomes long distance. While a loved one is experiencing incarceration, it is vital to keep in contact with them to keep your relationship alive. Not only will this improve your relationship, but this two-way communication has many benefits for your incarcerated loved one. Sending mail to your beloved inmate is a simple, easy, and effective way to communicate with them during the period of incarceration. Keep reading for our tips on how to send mail to an inmate and the mailing address information required.
Why Mail?
These days, the rise of smartphones, emails, texting, and social media has nearly eliminated the practice of sending and receiving physical mail. Although there are many ways to keep in touch with your incarcerated loved one, sending physical letters and photos provides tangible items your inmate can hold on to. They can keep this mail with them in their belongings, and when they are feeling lonely or having a tough day, your loved one can reread your words and know that they are loved. Physical mail is also nice for an inmate to share with their cell mates about their family and who they are back home.
Mailing Address Information Required
Sending a letter to a loved one in a correctional facility is different from sending other mail through the postal service. There are different steps to sending a letter to an incarcerated loved one, one of the most important being the mailing address information. These days, many correctional facilities are requiring more details when it comes to inmate mailing information. A standard rule of thumb is to include the following details:
- DIV number
- Yard number
- Cell number
- Bunk number
This information is important to include to ensure that your mail makes it to your loved one. The more specific you can get with your inmate’s information, the better the chance they will receive it.
Double Check for Details
Sometimes, the mail process in a prison can be disorganized. A good practice is to check information on the facility’s website; however, facility website information can sometimes be outdated. Another way to double check the details is to call the facility your loved one is at. The best way to have the most accurate mailing information is to ask your incarcerated loved one when visiting face-to-face or talking to them on the phone. Verifying mailing information with your loved one will eliminate returned mail and ultimately prevent delays in delivery. The details become so important when sending mail to your incarcerated loved one.
What to Do if They Move
Sometimes, your incarcerated loved one will move facilities. For example, they may move from a jail to a prison, or be transferred to a different location. Most of the time if your incarcerated loved one is moved to a new facility, their ‘inmate ID #’ will change. It is important to be aware of that and update your mailing address information before sending any letters or photos. Some facilities will forward the mail, but this is a rare occurrence. Most often the mail will be returned to the sender if the correct identification information is not updated.
We Can Help!
One way to be sure that your mail makes it to your incarcerated loved one is by using Pelipost. When you choose to send your loved one pictures through our app, we’ll take care of the rest, making sure that the mail is delivered in a timely and secure manner. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our customer service team via email at support@pelipost.com.
Be Strong Kasady Hearn Love Mom Dorene Hearn