To help combat drugs, Sedgwick County Jail is changing where you send mail to inmates
To help combat contraband drugs getting into the Sedgwick County Jail, the facility is changing the way inmates receive letters from friends, family and other personal contacts.
Starting Wednesday, all personal mail for inmates must be addressed to a Missouri-based mail processing facility, where it will be scanned and made available to inmates electronically at the jail’s kiosks and on computer tablets. Any personal mail addressed to the facility where the receiving inmate is housed will be returned to its sender after Feb. 1.
The exceptions are clearly marked legal mail and books and magazine subscriptions sent directly from the publisher, which must be addressed to the Sheriff’s Office at 141 W. Elm in Wichita.
The overhaul was fueled by “an effort to curb the introduction of drugs into the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office detention facilities,” according to a Tuesday news release from the agency, which runs the adult detention facility at 141 W. Elm and other locations in Wichita. The Sheriff’s Office is providing the electronic mail through a contract with Securus Technologies, which provides other communication services to the jail including the introduction in November of computer tablets that inmates can download games and movies on and use to access religious and educational materials.
“The Digital Mail Center is a quick and efficient way for inmates to receive letters and photos electronically,” the release said, adding that the “implementation of this technology and service is being done at no cost to the taxpayers of Sedgwick County,” or at any additional cost to inmates or their families.
“The Sheriff’s Office wants inmates to continue to communicate with family and friends in order to maintain personal relationships while in custody,” the release said.
Letters to inmates should be addressed with their name and identification number, c/o Securus Digital Mail Center - Sedgwick County, P.O. Box 1194, Lebannon, MO 65536.
All personal mail must also bear the sender’s name and return address in the upper left-hand corner of the envelope and have proper postage to be delivered.
Inmates will still be allowed to send mail out of the detention facilities “and are provided with pen, paper and envelopes if indigent,” the release said.
Legal mail received at the downtown Wichita address “will follow current guidelines of being verified, delivered, and opened in front of the inmate,” according to the release.
This story was originally published January 19, 2021 at 12:09 PM.
