General Inamte Mail Guidelines

At the Orange County Jail in Santa Ana, Inmates are permitted to send and receive unlimited correspondence in order to maintain communication with their families, friends, business associates and government authorities, except when there is reasonable cause to justify limitations for reasons of public safety or facility order, security, or to stop a state or federal crime.

• All inmate mail, incoming and outgoing, is governed by Federal law, State Jail Standards and Jail Procedures. There are no limits placed on the number of letters an inmate may send or receive, or on the number of pages permitted in either incoming or outgoing mail.
• Federal Law prohibits malicious tampering or mishandling of mail. The law prohibits withholding inmate mail except under certain circumstances and in conformance with the following regulations
  1. Inmates who refuse to sign the mail authorization portion of the booking form will be ineligible to receive U.S. Post Office or dropoff mail. Their mail will be forwarded to the Property Storage Room for inclusion in their personal property.
  2. Inmates assigned to disciplinary housing may have their mail privileges temporarily withheld for violation of mail regulations. The withholding of mail privileges shall not exceed 72 hours unless the Facility Commander has reviewed the matter and authorized further withholding of mail privileges. In no case shall the mail privileges with any members of the State Bar, holders of public office, the courts or Facility Manger be suspended.
• Inmates may not send and receive mail containing critical and uncomplimentary remarks concerning the jail or other related agencies.
• It is a misdemeanor violation for any unauthorized person to bring into or take from any jail any letter to or from any inmate (CPC 4570)

Mailing addresses are as follows:

Intake Release Center, Men's or Women's Jail address mail to:
INMATE NAME and Booking Number
550 N. Flower Street
Santa Ana, CA 92702

Theo Lacy Branch Jail mail to:
INMATE NAME and Booking Number
501 City Drive South
Orange, CA 92868-3390

James A. Musick Facility:
INMATE NAME and Booking Number
13502 Musick Road
Irvine, CA 92618

• No writing or marks other than the inmate's name and address and the name and address of the person to whom the letter is being sent, or proper directions to the post office, are permitted on the envelope.
• All letters must contain the correct amount of postage.
• Incoming mail may not exceed 9 x 12 inches (legal documents and material excepted).
• Inmates are permitted to receive through the mail, any newspapers, magazines or paperback books, directly from the publisher, that may lawfully be transmitted through the U.S. Postal Service, subject to reasonable withholding for inspection for contraband and security purposes. Inmates may receive hard cover books upon prior request and for specific need. No inmate may possess more than five books and five magazines at any one time. Excess items must be discarded or mailed
  out at the inmate's expense (SvG/USDC CV 75-3075 WPG/#3).
• Once the subscribed publication is received, it is considered the personal property of the inmate and subject to Orange County Jail Rules as outlined under PROPERTY.
• Obscene publications or writings as determined by the Facility Commander, and mail containing information concerning where, how or from whom such matter may be obtained; and any matter of a character tending to incite murder, arson, riot, violent racism, or any other form of violence: and any matter concerning unlawful gambling or an unlawful lottery is prohibited.
• Packages are not accepted and will be returned to the sender, unless previously approved by the Watch Commander. Inmates are permitted to possess a reasonable number of photographs, none measuring more than 8 inches by 10 inches.
• Mail without a return address will be searched and placed in the inmate's property.
• Incoming and outgoing mail will not be held for more than 24 hours. Mail will be processed and distributed daily, excluding weekends and holidays.

Unacceptable Items Received in the Mail
• Items received in the mail will be screened for unacceptable materials.
• The following items will be deemed unacceptable and processed accordingly.
1. Addressee not in custody at any of the facilities. (Returned via U.S. Post Office.)
2. Published materials not received directly from a publisher deemed secure by jail administrators. (Note: If an inmate can show special circumstances, the inmate may petition the Facility Commander for permission to receive the published materials from other sources.)
3. Obscene publications or writing as determined by the Facility Commander, and other mail containing information concerning where, how or from whom such matter may be obtained; and any matter of a character tending to incite murder, arson, riot, violent racism, or any other form of violence; and any matter concerning unlawful gambling or an unlawful lottery; and any publication concerning the cultivation or illegal production of narcotics or drugs; and any mail that violates federal or state law.
4. Packages are not accepted and will be returned to the sender unless previously approved by the Facility Commander.
5. Items which cannot be inspected by normal means or without damaging the item, i.e., multilayered cards, photos, laminated items, etc.
6. Items containing foil or metal of any type, glass, wood, hard plastic, rubber or other prohibited substances.
7. Maps, travel brochures, wall calendars, wall posters.
8. Credit cards, personal checkbooks, etc.
9. Any illegal item or any item which could constitute a security hazard or tend to incite violence or other unpermitted conduct.
10. Any food item.
11. Any article of clothing, hygiene item or other personal property.