Correspondence
Rules & Regulations
- (A) Any piece of inmate mail is subject to inspection
- (B) In conjunction with the Supreme Court Ruling filed January 2, 2018, non-privileged mail will only be accepted or sent in the form of post cards, unless it is legal mail or medical documentation for the medical department
- (C) Postcards must be standard white postcards, no index cards or photographs
- (D) Postcards must be no larger than 5”x7”
- (E) Money orders and photographs will be accepted in a plain white envelope
- (F) Bulk mail and/ or packages will NOT be accepted and will be returned to sender unless it is legal mail (ex: manila envelopes, envelopes packed full of stuff, cardboard envelopes from the post office, Will not accept religious material via mail, etc.)
- (G) If detainee is currently enrolled in an education program. They will be allowed to finish, but they will not be able to start any new program or courses due to the change in mail policy.
- (H) Pictures will be accepted. Pictures must not have any nudity or partial nudity, drugs and alcohol and/or gang signs in them may be discarded or placed in inmate property. Inappropriateness of pictures will be determined at the discretion of the Administration. Inmates can receive a reasonable amount of pictures (no more than 10) at a time. Any other pictures will be placed in inmate property. Photos must not be any bigger than 4×6, any pictures hanging on cell walls or bunks will be removed and may be discarded or may be placed in inmate property
- (I) Books will NOT be accepted. Books will be ordered thru the Jail
- (J) 3 way mail will not be accepted and may be discarded. Sending a postcard to someone who sends it back in, to another inmate is considered 3 way mail and it may be thrown away. Disciplinary action may be taken towards the inmate trying to use 3 way mail
- (K) Outgoing correspondence will have the correct return address (inmate first and last name, Bates County Jail, 6 West Ft. Scott, Butler MO, 64730)
- (L) Outgoing mail shall only be mailed in the form of white postcards available for purchase from commissary
- (M) No post cards will be sent or received with inappropriate signs, picture, phrases, nudity, weapons, drugs, alcohol or any gang references on them
- (N) Defaced or altered postcards are unacceptable
- (O) No plastic or wrapping is allowed on postcards
- (P) No stained or watermarked post cards will be accepted
- (Q) No post cards with biohazard, including lipstick or perfume will be accepted
- (R) Indigent inmates will be responsible for ordering their own indigent supplies from the kiosk. This includes post cards
- (S) Greeting cards will be available on commissary for inmate purchase (Ex: Birthday and Holiday Cards) Greeting cards are only for inmates to send out. greeting cards sent to inmate will not be accepted
- (T) Legal mail will be removed from envelope and copied, and original copy will be shredded in the presence of the inmate. Copy will be given to the inmate
- (U) Legal mail must be clearly marked and stamped legal from a legitimate law office, office of the public defender or from the courts
- (V) Inmates who have been released or incarcerated at another facility will have mail returned to sender
- (W) Inmates will not correspond with inmates held in this facility or any other holding facility at the same time (unless written permission is granted by Jail Administrator, Sheriff, USMS or other holding facility)
- (X) Faxes will not be accepted
- (Y) Packages will not be accepted by this facility
- (Z) Violation involving any correspondence may result in disciplinary action from suspension of commissary kiosk to lock down
- (AA) The use of email may be available for inmates, email cost will be deducted from the inmate account. Emails are subject to inspection and approval by detention staff prior to delivery (delivery of email is at facility discretion and availability)