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Jails Are Changing Inmate Mail Policy

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By GEORGE WILKENS

gwilkens@tampatrib.com

Published: March 15, 2009

LAND O' LAKES - A new policy intended to enhance security and reduce costs will restrict what mail is delivered to Pasco County jail inmates, the sheriff's office has announced.

Effective March 30, mail sent to inmates by anyone other than lawyers, courts or government officials will be limited to postcards. The policy also places new restrictions on magazines, books, photographs and money mailed to inmates.

Sheriff's office spokesman Kevin Doll said the policy is to better prevent contraband from entering the jail. In the past, inmate mail has occasionally been found to contain anything from weapons and drugs to "mysterious powders," the latter requiring summoning a hazardous materials team and taking other emergency measures.

Doll said the jail receives a large volume of inmate mail daily, and detailed inspection of every sealed envelope is labor intensive. "That's too much time, manpower and resources," especially during such economically challenging times, Doll said.

Additionally, during routine inspections of cells, correction officers are faced with searching every envelope in an inmate's collection of saved mail, Doll said.

Late last week, more than 1,000 inmates were being held in the Land O' Lakes Jail and another 200 in the New Port Richey facility.

Prohibited mail received at the jail will be returned to the sender unopened, the policy states.

Procedures governing inmates' outgoing mail are basically unchanged, except inmates who correspond with other Pasco inmates must do so by postcard.

Postcards can be purchased from the jail commissary, and indigent inmates will receive postcards in lieu of envelopes and paper.

Reading materials also are affected by the policy. Each inmate will be allowed to possess no more than three books or magazines at any given time, and the items must be received directly from publishers or Internet book dealers. Hardback books require special approval and newspapers will not be accepted.

Also, photographs will no longer be accepted without prior approval. Inmates who have been incarcerated longer than one month may request permission to receive up to 10 photographs every six months by completing an "inmate picture permit," according to the policy.

Envelopes containing funds for deposit in inmate commissary accounts will still be accepted through the mail. Cash, however, will no longer be accepted, only money orders, cashier checks and checks from government/law enforcement agencies.

Cash is accepted only at the property/cashier window in the lower lobby of the Land O'Lakes Jail.

To view the new policy in its entirety, including addressing requirements, visit the sheriff's office Web site, www.pascosheriff.com, and click on the "detention" link in the lower left margin.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433.

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