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Jail Inmate Mail Guidelines

To view a printable version of the Jail Inmate Mail Guidelines, which includes all the information listed below click here

  1. OUTGOING MAIL:
    1. An officer collects outgoing mail nightly during bedtime medication pass only.
    2. Outgoing mail is not to be sealed by the inmate. The mail is logged and placed in the department's outgoing mail. NOTE: ALL OUTGOING MAIL TO PERSONS OTHER THAN AN IMNATES LICENSED ATTORNEY, DOCTOR OR ORDAINED CLERGYMAN IS SUBJECT TO INSPECTION BY JAIL PERSONNEL.
    3. Articles other then letters in an envelope will be considered contraband and not be mailed. The inmate will be given the opportunity the redo the envelope and at that time the envelope will be mailed.
    4. Letters that have drawings on the envelopes will not be sent out to the post office. They WILL be returned to the inmate. The Postal Service indicates that such drawings cause problems with the sorting equipment.
    5. Inmates will not send mail to another inmate in this facility.
    6. Mail will not be accepted for mailing without proper return and destination address.
      Acceptable addresses are as follows:
      Return Address: Destination Address:
      (Inmate Name) Name
      Stone County Jail Complete Address
      PO Box 245 City, State, Zip Code
      Galena, MO 65656
    7. Mail to judges, prosecuting attorney's, and other court offices can be hand delivered by jail staff. To correspondence through the U.S. Postal Service, you must have stamp(s), return and destination addresses on the face of the envelope. The addresses for those offices are:

      Stone County Circuit Court - Division I
      PO Box 18
      Galena, MO 65656

      Stone County Circuit Court - Division II
      PO Box 186
      Galena, MO 65656

      Stone County Prosecuting Attorney's Office
      PO Box 95
      Galena, MO 65656
  2. INCOMING MAIL:
    1. All incoming mail will be logged the day it arrives and passed out after 5:00 am daily Tuesday - Saturday. Postage stamps are removed to prevent bleaching and reuse.
    2. Mail will be logged, opened and inspected for contraband articles that might be enclosed (see subsection 3: Mail Limitations). The only exception to this is correspondence from attorneys, judges, or congressmen, which will be opened and inspected by an officer in the presence of the inmate. Any incoming mail containing items of contraband will be returned to the sender, provided it is not of an unlawful nature.
    3. Stamps can be received in the mail. Peel and Stick Stamps are only type of stamps to be possessed by inmates. No more than 40 stamps will be allowed in the inmates' possession at any given time. Inmates will be required to sign a receipt for stamps. Incoming envelopes will be stamped "with" or "without" stamps after inspection of envelope by the inspecting Officer.
    4. Due to limited storage areas, packages will not be accepted into the jail. Instead, the packages will be refused and returned to sender. NO CHRISTMAS OR BIRTHDAY PACKAGES WILL BE ACCEPTED IN THE MAIL.
    5. Mail received for inmates who have been released from custody will be returned to sender.
    6. Mail received that does not have a sender's name on it will not be accepted. Mail received that does not have any return address will be placed into the inmate's property unopened.
    7. Inmates will not receive mail to another inmate in this facility.
    8. No computer-generated material will be accepted in the Stone County Jail. (Personal Computer)
  3. MAIL LIMITATIONS:
    1. LETTERS:
      1. Letters that contain scent (powder or liquid), hair and / or foreign substance, Polaroid pictures, etc., will be returned to sender.
      2. Letters need to be written in blue or black ink.
    2. PHOTOGRAPHS:
      1. No Polaroid photos will be allowed. Photographs may be no larger than 4 X 6 inches (jumbo prints). No more than 10 photos per inmate.
      2. Pornographic pictures or photographs are not allowed;
      3. Exchanges of photographs with those in his / her property will not be allowed.
      4. No photographs are to be affixed to cell walls or fixtures.
      5. Violations will result in confiscation of the photographs.
    3. MAGAZINES:
      1. No magazines allowed inside cellblocks.
      2. Only religious study guides provided by the jail visiting minister will be allowed.
    4. HOLIDAY CARDS
      1. No cards will be accepted, cards will be returned to sender.