Inmates In Texas Won’t Be Able To Get Physical Letters Or Pictures Any Longer

This week, physical mail delivery has begun to be phased out by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Thus, those in prison won’t be able to get physical letters, photographs, or drawings from friends or relatives.

Now, parcels will be sent to a central place for scanning purposes.

Inmates will be able to get digital, colorized prints of their mail which will be on tablet devices. Some inmates that have been placed on tight custody don’t have tablets in their possession, so they will get black-and-white copies of their mail.

If the mail is regarding legal material, media material, or magazines, they will be delivered as normal.

With the new guidelines, the state’s goal is to stop people from sending phones, drugs, or weapons. For instance, jailers have found letters that have been dipped in liquid narcotics.

However, opponents of the new regulations say that it keeps prisoners from having a physical connection with the people that care about them the most.

Some also don’t believe that this will greatly prevent illegal items from entering the prisons. In 2021, a report found that contraband rates didn’t decrease even though the state had decreased mail privileges and prohibited visitation due to COVID-19.

Other studies show that unethical practices by prison staff is the reason why illegal items are being brought into prisons where they work.

Although TDCJ has stopped personal mail delivery to 10 states, the process will continue until all of the prisons transitioned to the digital system.

If a person would like to send a letter, it must be mailed to:

Texas Department Of Criminal Justice

Inmates Full First and Last Name + TDCJ

Number

P O Box 660400

Dallas, Tx 75266-0400

Inmates will continue to have the privilege of writing and sending letters as normal.