Can You Send Mail to Someone Who’s in Prison in Illinois?

If someone you care about is in prison in Illinois, you’ll probably want to send him or her mail – but how do you go about it the right way?

Here’s what you need to know.

Can You Send Mail to Someone Who’s in Prison in Illinois?

You can send mail to someone who’s in prison in Illinois. In fact, inmates – people who are in prison – can receive mail at any time during their stay. Your friend or family member will have an address (it’s the prison address) and an inmate number from the Department of Corrections. To ensure that your mail gets to the right person as quickly as possible, you will have to include his or her name and inmate number on the outside of the envelope, with the address – just like it appears on the Illinois Department of Corrections website.

What You Need to Know About Sending Mail to a Prison in Illinois

When you send mail to someone who’s in prison in Illinois, remember:

• Guards will open and search your mail to look for contraband
• If you decorate the envelope with stickers, glitter or tape, the prison will return the mail to you
• Some parts of your friend or family member’s mail may be kept from him or her if it could be a threat to safety within the prison

What is NOT Allowed?

Your mail won’t get through to your friend or family member if it includes things like:

• Threats
• Information about sending contraband (items that aren’t allowed) in or out of the prison
• Plans to escape
• Plans to engage in criminal activity
• Code that prison staff can’t understand
• Information that could lead to the harm of someone else
• Unauthorized messages with another offender

If the Department of Corrections withholds some mail from your friend or family member, you and the inmate will both be notified in writing.

You can’t send cash, but you can send money to your friend or family member by putting it in his or her account.

Do You Need a Criminal Defense Attorney?

While this is all about sending mail to an inmate in an Illinois prison, remember that we’re criminal defense attorneys in Chicago. If you have a legal issue, we may be able to help you – just call us at 847-920-4540 or fill out the form below.