SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — Mail intended for inmates at the Sacramento County Main Jail and Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center must be addressed to a post office box in Lebanon, Missouri.
The reason is all portions of the incoming mail are sent to a digital mail processing center where they are sorted, scanned in full color and uploaded to an eMessaging application accessible from an incarcerated person’s tablet, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.
All mail generally uploads to the tablets within 48 hours of receipt, excluding weekends and holidays, the sheriff’s office said. However, digital mail is subject to inspection by jail staff, which can delay delivery times.
Mail sent to the center in Missouri must be addressed as follows:
Incarcerated person name and X-reference number
C/O Securus Digital Mail Center - Sacramento main
P.O. Box 431
Lebanon, MO 65536
The digital mail center in Missouri holds the physical mail for 30 days after scanning it, then the center destroys it unless the sender includes a self-address and stamped envelope for the mail to be returned, the sheriff’s office said.
Upon jail transfer or release, inmates or former inmates can log into the Securus digital mail center within 60 days of transfer or release to download their mail. After 60 days, it is permanently deleted, according to law enforcement.
If inmates do not have an assigned tablet, mail can be printed and delivered by jail staff. Digital copies of that mail remain in the system should access to a tablet be restored. If an incarcerated person violates correspondence regulations, they can lose their mail privileges for up to 72 hours.
Correspondence regulations dictate the following items in mail are prohibited:
- Descriptions and images of drugs and paraphernalia (including marijuana).
- Descriptions, images and language about weapons, gangs, violence or criminal activity.
- Photos that are sexually explicit or contain nudity.
- Photos containing any hand signs.
- Descriptions or images of money.
Anyone sending prohibited items may be subject to criminal prosecution, according to California law.
Legal or confidential mail
Legal or confidential mail should be sent to an inmate’s housing location instead of the digital mail center in Missouri, authorities said. It must also include a return address.
Legal or confidential mail sent to the digital center will be returned to the sender, law enforcement said.
Legal or confidential correspondence is still subject to inspection for contraband and all inspections occur in the presence of the inmate, according to the sheriff’s office.
Inmates can be held at either the Sacramento County Main Jail or the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center. Inmate information can be found on the sheriff’s office website HERE.
The Sacramento County Main Jail’s address is:
Incarcerated person name and X-reference number
Sacramento County Main Jail
651 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center:
Incarcerated person name and X-reference number
Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center
12500 Bruceville Road
Elk Grove, CA 95757
All mail in this category should be clearly marked “legal” or “confidential” and staff will not read content of this nature, the sheriff’s office said.
Books and magazines, money orders
Books and magazines must also be sent directly from a publishing company to an inmate at their housing location, the sheriff’s office said.
Rules regarding books are as follows:
- Books must be paperback.
- Books must be smaller than 8 inches by 11 inches.
- Publications with staples are acceptable, though the staples may be removed.
- Inmates cannot possess more than five books at any given time.
- Any material appearing to be obscene or tending to incite murder, arson, riot or racism will not be accepted.
All money orders must be sent directly to the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center (RCCC), law enforcement said. The RCCC only accepts deposits.
A full list of how to correctly write addresses when mailing different categories of items can be found HERE.
