CARTERET COUNTY, NC – Beginning Monday, April 4, Carteret County Sheriff’s Office will transition to a digital version of all non-legal inmate mail. The new system is the result of a partnership with Pay Tel Communications, CCSO’s inmate telephone service provider, and comes at no cost to taxpayers.
The switch to an alternative digital delivery is an attempt to eliminate contraband and improve the safety of those inspecting and sorting the mail. The change applies only to personal and non-privileged mail. Privileged and legal correspondence, as well as some specific items such as money orders and publications sent directly from a publisher or authorized retailer, will still be accepted through the postal service.
“This project significantly reduces the physical mail coming into the jail and the risk of contraband coming in through the mail,” said Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck. “We have prevented attempts to introduce liquid intoxicants, such as Suboxone, synthetic cannabinoids, and tobacco through traditional mail. By offering this service, we hope to provide an extra barrier for those seeking to sneak drugs or other contraband into our jail.”
Inmates will now use a digital platform to access scanned images of letters, photos, and drawings from their friends and family. All mail and its contents will be screened for appropriateness and approved by jail staff, prior to electronic delivery to the inmate.
Anyone wishing to send mail to someone in the Carteret County Detention Center will have to address it to the Carteret County Detention Center, inmate name, inmate ID number, PO Box 2925, PMB 79078, San Antonio, TX, 78299-2925. The service provider will then sort and scan the mail for digital delivery. All housing blocks are equipped with wall-mounted kiosks to allow inmates to access their letter images, including a scan of the envelope.
All mail and pictures are saved in the Pay Tel system’s server, so when inmates are released they will have access to their mail. Inmates will continue to send out traditional mail, but cannot receive it.
For more information about the CCSO’s new digital mailing system, visit https://www.carteretcountync.gov/1060/Inmate-Mail.
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