Chapter 5 – Adult Custody and Security Operations

54010.4 Definitions of Classes of Mail

• First Class Mail

  • The United States Postal Services (USPSUnited States Postal Service) regulations define First Class Mail as all matter wholly or partly in writing or typewriting, all actual and personal correspondence, all bills and statements of account, and all matter sealed or otherwise closed against inspection. The maximum weight for a First Class letter is 13 ounces.

  • All First Class Mail shall be delivered to the inmates as soon as possible, but not later than seven (7) calendar days from receipt of the mail from the Post Office.

• Standard Mail

  • USPSUnited States Postal Service regulations define Standard Mail as mail used for advertising mail, catalogues, and newsletters of a non-personal nature that are not required to be mailed as First Class Mail. The maximum weight for Standard Mail is 16 ounces. Standard mail used to be referred to as “Bulk Mail.” Periodicals USPSUnited States Postal Service regulations define Periodicals as a class of mail consisting of magazines, newspapers, or other publications formed of printed sheets that are published at least four times a year at regular, specified intervals (frequency) from a “known office of publication.” Periodicals usually must have a list of subscribers and/or requesters, as appropriate.

• Package Services

  • USPSUnited States Postal Service regulations define Package Services as Parcel Post, bound Printed Matter, Medial Mail, and Library Mail.

  • With the exception of Parole Clothes and third party special purchase health care appliances, inmates shall not be allowed to receive Package Services 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, etc.

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

  • All packages received in the mailroom that are addressed to an inmate shall be processed through Receiving and Release where they will be searched, inventoried, and issued to the inmate.

  • All appropriately addressed mail shall either be delivered to the inmate, or forwarded per the CCRCalifornia Code of Regulations Subsection 3133(f) and DOMDepartment Operations Manual Section 54010.25.