Chapter 5 – Adult Custody and Security Operations

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation) encourages correspondence between incarcerated persons and the public.

The sending and receiving of mail by incarcerated persons shall be conducted in accordance with the California Code of Regulations (CCRCalifornia Code of Regulations), Title 15, Division 3, Chapter 1, Subchapter 2, Article 4.

With the exception of parole clothes and third-party special purchase health care appliances, incarcerated persons shall not be allowed to receive packages directly from personal correspondents. Packages containing parole clothes or third-party special purchase medical assistive devices must be clearly marked with either “parole clothes” or “health care appliance” on the outside of the package. Personal correspondents do not include the courts, law firms, county, state and federal agencies, publishers, bookstores, book distributors, religious organizations, etc.

All incoming packages, regardless of their contents or to whom they are addressed, shall be put through an x-ray machine to prevent the introduction of contraband into the institution.

All packages, excluding publication-only packages as set forth in CCRCalifornia Code of Regulations Title 15 Section 3147(c)(4), received in the mailroom that are addressed to an incarcerated person shall be processed through Receiving and Release where they will be searched, inventoried, and issued to the incarcerated person.

All appropriately addressed mail, including packages, shall either be delivered to the incarcerated person, or forwarded per the CCRCalifornia Code of Regulations Title 15 Subsection 3133(f).

All outgoing mail including, but not limited to, letters, packages, and parcels shall be clearly identified as originating from a California State Prison or Community Correctional Facility. Outgoing mail shall be stamped or labeled, utilizing black ink only, with block letters not exceeding one-quarter inch in height, and the stamp or label not exceeding two and one-half inches in width by one and one-half inches in height. The stamp or label shall read “California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.”

Incarcerated persons may receive prepaid postage envelopes, including pre-canceled stamps, metered envelopes, business reply envelopes, etc. for their use in future correspondence. These items shall meet the requirements of the USPSUnited States Postal Service for delivery to an incarcerated person, including the following conditions:

• The postage amount must be sufficient to prepay the full postage due.

• Indicia used to prepay reply postage must not show the date.

• The pre-address for the mail piece shall be for return to the authorized sender only.

Certified mail that is received at the institution shall be signed for by institutional staff as the agent for the incarcerated person to whom the mail is addressed. The person to whom the Certified mail is addressed must sign to certify receiving the mail piece from institutional staff.

The Director, Division of Adult Institutions, or designee shall be responsible for ensuring that the contents of this Article are kept current and accurate.