The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for inmate mail and correspondence.
This order shall apply to all personnel assigned to Pitchess Detention Center (PDC), North Facility.
The mail is delivered to PDC, North Facility Inmate Services from the Inmate Reception Center (IRC). The Inmate Services officer is responsible for running the booking number on each piece of mail via the Automated Justice Information System (AJIS) for location accuracy, conduct a search for contraband, and sort the mail by module location. Mail shall be delivered to each module by the Inmate Services officer upon the completion of the first facility count on PM shift. The ranger of each module shall receive the mail and distribute it to the corresponding dormitory control officer (DCO).
The DCO shall be responsible for immediately distributing the mail to the inmates. Each DCO shall log the time the mail was distributed in the appropriate boxes in the electronic Uniform Daily Activity Log (e-UDAL). It shall be the responsibility of the module ranger to distribute mail to inmates housed in E-Row. At the completion of distribution of all inmate mail, the DCO and ranger shall contact the Inmate Services officer advising them that the mail has been delivered. Once the Inmate Service officer has verified all modules have delivered the mail, they shall contact the watch commander. The watch commander shall enter the completion time into the Watch Commander’s Log.
When personnel identify the inmate receiving mail is no longer at PDC, North Facility or has been transferred to another module within the facility, they shall mark those pieces of mail with the inmate’s current location and return them to Inmate Services for distribution to the proper module, or for forwarding to the appropriate facility.
These procedures are for use during routine operations. It is possible mail could arrive at a different time or more than once per day. If that occurs, mail shall be immediately processed and distributed to the inmates.
Mail shall be delivered to inmates without delay. Exceptions to this may include if the mail was received during “lights out”, meal time, cleanup, or the facility was operating under an emergency situation (e.g., earthquake, flood, riot, etc.). The mail shall be immediately distributed to the inmates as soon as normal operations resume.
Supervisors shall make periodic checks of Inmate Services, module control offices, and the dormitory control offices to ensure the mail is being delivered as outlined in this procedure.
The EM field sergeant shall be responsible for collecting all outgoing mail from the locked collection boxes in each housing location. The collected mail shall be given to the respective DCOs.
The DCOs shall sort, inspect, and seal the mail as soon as their duties permit. Inmates shall not be used to sort or seal mail. The mail shall never be left unattended where inmates may have access to it. After the mail has been sealed, the mail shall be placed in the Post Office mailbox located outside of main control. Under no circumstances shall any piece of mail be placed in the Post Office mailbox loose or in an unsealed envelope. No additional material, other than mail, shall be placed in the Post Office mailbox.
During day shift, a ranger unit shall deliver the mail to the mailroom located east of PDC South Facility.
All inmate correspondence (incoming and outgoing) shall be inspected prior to being distributed. The following is a list of procedures personnel shall follow during the inspection of all inmate mail:
There are no limitations on the volume of mail an inmate may send or receive