Sending Mail to Inmates in North Carolina
One of the most critical ways to stay in contact with your inmate is through writing letters. Inmates are allowed to send and receive an unlimited amount of mail. Incoming mail will be opened and inspected for unauthorized items, the letters will only be read if a supervisor has reason to believe the letter may contain criminal activity, or that the letter may threaten harm to an individual or contain something that puts the safety, security, and order of the prison in jeopardy. Legal mail may not be read, but it can be opened and inspected in the presence of the inmate. Offenders are responsible for purchasing their own stamps from the commissary. Inmates who have no money in their account and are found indigent are provided with ten stamps each month for personal letters, outgoing legal mail will not have a limit imposed.
Sending Photos to North Carolina Inmates
Inmates in North Carolina Prisons are allowed to receive photos no larger than 8"x10". Photos must not be Polaroid or the instant type, as these present a security risk. No photos may contain nudity or depict illegal activities.
On your correspondence you should always include your complete return address, and format the inmate's address as follows:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Facility Name
PO Box or Street address
City, State, Zip Code
Send Quarterly Packages to North Carolina Inmates
You can also send quarterly packages to North Carolina inmates. These pacakges must be sent the the approved vendor Union Supply Direct. Orders must be pre-approved for the inmate by the Chaplain at the facility the inmate resides at. Failure to get pre-approval for the specific items you order will result in the package being refused. For more information visit Union Supply Direct here.
How to Send Books and Magazines to Inmates in North Carolina
Inmates in North Carolina can also receive books, magazines, and newspapers sent directly from the publisher. This means you can order books and other publications from Amazon.com and have them shipped directly to the inmate's name, ID Number and inmate mailing address. Limit your orders to no more than three books at a time. All books must be paperback editions, and must come new directly from Amazon, used books and third party sellers are not allowed. Magazine subscriptions and newspapers can also be ordered for your inmate. No publications are allowed to contain nudity or describe how to manufacture weapons, alcohol, or drugs. If you want to learn more about sending these items to an inmate read about it here.
Sending Money to Inmates in North Carolina
Offenders have access to funds placed in their inmate accounts to purchase items from the commissary. The commissary is a small store located inside the facility that sells various goods like food/snacks, hygiene items, clothing, stationary, stamps and even electronics and games. Friends and family members can send money to an inmate in a variety of ways including:
- By Walk In
- Through the Internet
- By Mail
- By Phone
In order to send funds to your inmate you must first know:
- The Inmates Name
- The Inmates Identification Number
- The current facility the inmate is located in
Deposit by Walk In
You can deposit money by visiting any MoneyGram location, this includes any CVS and Walmart. You will need to use the receive code 1224. The deposit may be made for a flat fee of $6.70 and can be paid with cash or debit card.
Deposit by Internet
You can also deposit money to an inmate's account online through JPAY. You can fund the transaction using a debit or credit card, a fee will be charged based on the amount you are sending ranging from $3.45-$10.65.
Deposit Funds Over the Phone
Deposit funds to your North Carolina inmate's account over the phone by calling JPAY 24 hours a day at 1-800-574-5729. You can fund the transaction using a debit or credit card. A fee will be imposed ranging from $4.45-$11.65 depending on the amount of the transaction.
Deposit Funds Through the Mail
This method of sending funds has no processing fee associated with it. The only fee you will incur is the cost of postage and cost of purchasing a money order. Unfortunately, it is also the slowest method of getting funds to an inmate. You can send the funds through the mail by purchasing a United States Postal Money Order, made payable to "JPay". Include the inmates name and ID number in the memo field. You will also need to fill out the North Carolina Inmate money order deposit slip. Send the completed money order and deposit slip to:
JPay
P.O. Box 173070
Hialeah, FL 33017
For more information on sending funds to an inmate, read our guide here.
North Carolina Inmate Phone Calls
Inmates who are in the general population at all facilities, with the exception of Central Prison, are allowed to make outgoing collect calls and prepaid calls to friends and family members. The custody level and housing assignment of the inmate will dictate the number of calls an inmate is allowed to make. All calls are recorded and monitored.
At no time can inmates receive an incoming call. If a family emergency exists, such as a serious illness or death or a family member, you may contact the facility and explain the situation to the staff member by providing relevant names, phone numbers, etc. to allow staff members to verify the situation.
Through a contract with GTL (Global Tel*Link) friends and family members may purchase telephone time for calls with their inmate. This service is offered through GTL AdvancePay, and you can create a prepaid inmate phone account by calling them at 1-800-483-8314, or by visiting their website at ConnectNetwork.com.
GTL AdvancePay ConnectNetwork will charge you a fee for each call, plus a rate per minute. You may be able to drastically reduce your inmate phone bill by setting up your account with a number local to the facility. Learn more about how you can save money on your inmate phone calls.