Sending mail to inmates in the Tarrant County Jail can help give them some comfort from their present situation, but there are specific rules you must follow to ensure that your letters or mail make it to the inmate’s hands and don’t get thrown out before they get to read them.
Follow these steps when sending mail or letters, and you’ll be able to comfort your incarcerated loved one.
Tarrant County Inmate Search
To send a letter to an inmate at the Tarrant County jail, you must first do a Tarrant County inmate search. Enter their name or date of birth in the search bar to check if they are in the facility.
Entering the last name will list all inmates with that last name. Entering their date of birth will list all those born on that date. Entering any combination of either will list all inmates that match both criteria.
Inmate Mail Policies
Once you find a positive match, you’ll want to make sure you’re familiar with the necessary policies to make sure they receive your mail. Here’s what you need to know:
- Letters emailed to prisoners must not exceed 12″ by 16.”
- Direct shipments of brand-new, soft-backed books are required from a reputable, long-standing brick-and-mortar shop like Barnes and Noble. The United States Postal Service (USPS), or UPS, is the only shipping service that will accept parcels. Third-party courier packages won’t be accepted (including Amazon). A publisher’s subscription is required for crossword puzzle books and magazines.
- The inmate commissary sells writing supplies like paper, envelopes, pencils, and stamps. Inmates who are in need are given writing materials.
- Only ten or fewer unframed photos no bigger than 4″ by 6″ may be included with correspondence sent to an offender. Self-developing (Polaroid) photographs that still have their rigid backing on them are not acceptable.
- Photos deemed unsuitable content, such as those that show nudity, activity, physical violence, or gory subject matter, won’t be accepted.
- The jail handles only mail brought in by the US Postal Service. The sender must immediately contact the post office for tracer requests on lost mail.
- Any products that are received that are illegal will be sent back.
How to Address The Envelope
The envelope needs to be addressed as follows:
- Inmate’s First and Last Name
- Their Full Name and CID Number
- Tarrant County Jail
- 100 N. Lamar
- Fort Worth, TX 76102
Remember to include a return address on the envelope so the inmate can send you a letter back. Note that all mail sent is opened by correctional staff, so if you would like to include any items that could cause harm (i.e., cigarettes or drugs), do not put them in the envelope.
Phone Call Services For Inmates
Making free calls is only available after the prisoner has been booked. Every holding cell has a phone. Prisoners can use this phone to speak with a lawyer, obtain bail, or provide family members with a status update. Calls are free within the neighborhood dialing zone. Collect call phones are usable when phoning from beyond the local calling area.
If a prisoner calls you, you are liable for covering the collect call fee. You can call Securus Correctional Billing at (800) 844-6591 if you want to learn the cost of local collect calls.
In Conclusion
Sending mail to inmates is a great way to support them, but it can be difficult for those unfamiliar with the process. We hope this guide will help make it easier for you to send letters or mail to inmates in the Tarrant County Jail. For any information about the inmate, feel free to call 817-884-1111.