California Prison Mail Policies

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CA Systemwide Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
01/03/2014 Operations Manual Article 41 - Inmate Mail official document Download File
12/01/2011 15 CCR ? 3190(i)(7) "All publications, including books and subscriptions to periodicals, subject to section 3006. There shall be no "Approved Vendor Lists" for any publications. Inmates may receive publications from any publisher, book store or book distributor that does mail order business." official document
12/01/2011 15 CCR ? 3190(i)(2) "Legal Material, including legal reference material, books, and legal pads not available in the institution canteen, pursuant to section 3161. There shall be no "Approved Vendor Lists" for any legal publications. Inmates may receive legal publications from any publisher, book store or book distributor that does mail order business." official document
08/25/2007 Ban on "receipt, possession, or distribution of literature/publications from the MIM to or by inmates" official document External Link

Atascadero State Hospital Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
12/15/2020 Must be approved vendor official document
12/15/2020 Must be under 16oz official document
12/15/2020 must be with 12 x 19 x 24 inches official document
12/15/2020 must be less than 1/2" thick official document

Avenal State Prison Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
11/18/2007 All MIM Mail being returned unopened as unapproved correspondance official document Download File

Bauchet St jail Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
04/04/2009 LA County Jail Rules (incomplete) official document Download File

Butte County Jail Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
01/23/2018 Literature must be new prisoner
04/17/2020 softback only prisoner
04/17/2020 must come from book company prisoner

California Correctional Institution Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
08/25/2007 Literature from MIM is banned official document External Link
10/04/2013 no hardback prisoner
12/15/2015 no padded envelopes prisoner

California Institution for Men Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
12/28/2010 paperbacks only prisoner

California State Prison, Corcoran Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
08/25/2007 All mail with MIM return address is banned experience External Link
10/08/2009 Only soft cover. Only 2 per month. prisoner
03/15/2016 4 books at a time. only paperback/soft cover. no staples or bindings. prisoner

California State Prison, Los Angeles County Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
04/07/2018 must be soft cover, 5 book limit prisoner

California State Prison, Sacramento Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
11/18/2007 All MIM material banned per state-wide CDC ban official document
10/08/2009 Soft cover books only. prisoner
05/05/2017 plastic spiral bindings are contraband experience

California State Prison, San Quentin Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
08/04/2017 2 books per package prisoner

California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
06/21/2011 1 pound weight limit per O.P. 129 X(2)(J) experience
04/17/2016 Any mail ... for an inmate that requires a signature will not be accepted for an inmate without prior approval (DOM 54010.00 experience
04/17/2020 soft cover books only prisoner

Calipatria State Prison Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
12/15/2015 no spiral bound books prisoner

Central California Women's Facility Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
01/03/2014 Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Mail at CCWF official document Download File

Claybank Detention Facility Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
03/28/2016 no hard cover books prisoner
12/28/2021 No Staples experience

Correctional Training Facility Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
08/25/2007 MIM literature and letters banned official document Download File

Deuel Vocational Institution Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
10/04/2013 Can receive up to 5 books per package prisoner

Fresno County Jail Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
04/29/2016 no hardcover books prisoner
05/02/2023 no spiral bindings official document

High Desert State Prison Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
08/25/2007 MIM is on a list of banned organizations, some mail still gets in official document Download File
External Link

Kern Valley State Prison Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
03/09/2015 books must be new; soft cover only; can send regular mail and do not need approval form prisoner

Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
12/04/2023 paperback only, limit of 5 books at a time prisoner

Martinez Detention Facility - Contra Costa County Jail Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
01/19/2016 soft cover books only, limit of 6 at a time prisoner

Miramar Brig Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
06/04/2019 books must be new prisoner

Mule Creek State Prison Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
10/30/2011 Mule Creek State Prison will allow used books to be purchased by inmates if the used books are purchased and mailed directly from a book store, distributor, or publisher. official document
10/08/2016 soft cover only prisoner
05/06/2017 used books okay, hard covers should be removed and noted on invoice prisoner
05/06/2017 10 books per parcel limit, no nudity prisoner

North County Correctional Facility Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
10/30/2022 no hardcover, 3 books at a time prisoner

North Kern State Prison Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
08/21/2010 NKSP "Unauthorized Mail" Items list official document Download File
05/16/2013 no hard cover books prisoner

Orange County Jail Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
04/02/2014 New books, newspapers and magazines must come from publisher or accepted distributor. Torn pages not allowed. Used not allowed. Inmates can possess max 5 books or magazines official document Download File
05/16/2017 Books must be sent with an invoice prisoner
01/18/2022 books must be soft prisoner

Pelican Bay State Prison Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
08/25/2007 All mail from MIM or with content from MIM is banned official document
12/21/2010 no used books prisoner
01/03/2012 Only 1 book shipment per month of 10 or less books. prisoner
08/27/2014 Can get 5 blank greeting cards per envelope. prisoner
09/30/2017 no hardcovers, new books only prisoner

Pleasant Valley State Prison Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
08/25/2007 MIM literature banned official document External Link
09/01/2007 Charging prisoners to return MIM lit to sender prisoner

Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility at Rock Mountain Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
06/19/2013 Books must be softback, 5 books at a time official document
06/03/2017 hardcovers can be removed before shipping prisoner
04/07/2018 3 books per parcel, include invoice prisoner

Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
08/05/2017 paperback only, 5 books per package prisoner

Robert Presley Detention Center Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
09/24/2009 Not Allowed: * Mail containing more than 10 individual photos per letter regardless of how the photos are printed. Pictures must not contain nudity, violent acts and/or gang-related signs or activities. * Mail written in gel-type ink * Mail written in crayon * Mail with lipstick imprinted on it * Polaroids * Stickers and labels * * Stick-on return address labels ** * Odor-causing substances like perfume or cologne that permeate the mail * Items containing glue or white-out * Marking pens * Felt-tip pens * Care packages * Flowers or candy * Ribbons * Phone cards * Greeting cards * Post cards * Plastic * Glitter * Tape * Stationery * Envelopes * Post-it Notes * Craft materials * Parchment paper * Black paper * Staples * Paper clips * Postage stamps (loose or book) * Cash or personal checks (U.S. Postal Money orders are accepted) * Hardback or leather-bound books (all books must come directly from a recognized publisher) * Stickers and/or labels refers to the generic decorative, adhesive type of sticker and has nothing to do with postage. If a sticker is on a letter, the letter is returned to the sender. If a sticker is on an envelope, the inmate is given the letter inside, but not the envelope. If the inmate requests the return address from the envelope, the address is torn off and given to the inmate. ** If a return address on an envelope is a sticker label, the envelope is not given to the inmate, but the inmate may copy down the return address. official document External Link

Sacramento County Jail Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
01/16/2022 soft cover only prisoner

Salinas Valley State Prison Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
02/02/2009 No books in SHU prisoner

Santa Clara County Main Jail North Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
01/10/2023 no labels experience
03/07/2023 no tape, no staples prisoner
03/26/2023 no hard cover books, no tape, no stains, no tape official document
03/26/2023 soft cover books have to go through chaplain prisoner

Santa Cruz County Jail Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
11/25/2023 no hardcover, cassettes, CDs, must be from publisher prisoner

Santa Rosa Main Adult Detention Facility Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
01/03/2017 must be ordered new and paperback from distributor prisoner

Soledad State Prison Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
08/25/2007 All mail from MIM or with content from MIM is banned experience

Southwest Detention Center Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
11/30/2009 Southwest Detention Center Mail Policy official document Download File
03/11/2017 no hard cover, no staples prisoner

Terminal Annex LA Jail Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
09/28/2015 paperback books only, three books per package prisoner

Theo Lacy Facility Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
02/24/2014 New books, magazines or newspapers must come directly from publisher or accepted distributor. No used books. Max 5 books or mags official document
09/14/2021 Paperback only, New books only, must have invoice, limit 5 at a time prisoner

Twin Towers Correctional Facility Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
03/25/2017 no metal clasps, staples, stickers, gummed labels official document

Visalia Main Jail Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
01/24/2016 limit 5 books in package, no hardcover, no leather prisoner

Vista Detention Facility Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
03/04/2021 new books only prisoner

Wasco State Prison Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
03/28/2016 books must be paperback, limit of 5 received per day prisoner
11/01/2016 no stickers/mailing labels experience
05/16/2017 can receive 3 books at a time, must be paperback prisoner

West Valley Detention Center Rules

Submitted Rule Source Documentation
05/30/2011 softcover books only prisoner