Sending Mail to Inmates in South Carolina
Offenders in South Carolina are allowed to send and receive mail. To ensure no contraband is introduced into the facility, all mail is opened and inspected prior to the inmate receiving it. Mail can also be read if the facility feels their is reason to believe an illegal activity may be occurring. At no time can you send stamps, paper, envelopes, food, cash or any other items to an inmate. If the offender needs stamps, envelopes or stationary they must purchase it through the commissary. You can send up to 5 newspaper clippings/magazine clippings, or material printed from the internet (inmates cannot receive any content printed from the South Carolina Department of Corrections website).
Sending Photographs to an Inmate
You can also send up to ten 4"x6" photos to an inmate (offenders in RHU cannot receive photos). The photographs must not be instant or Polaroid photos as these present a security risk to the facility and have been used before to introduce contraband. Photos must not contain any nudity and cannot have any illegal activities in them.
Always include your complete return address in the upper left hand corner of the envelope. You should format the inmate's address on the envelope as follows:
Inmate's Full Name, ID Number, Housing (if known)
Facility Name
PO Box or Street address
City, State, Zip Code
If you don't know the inmate's address, dorm or living unit you can call (803)-896-6207 or (803)-896-4354 and the staff will assist you in getting the information.
Sending Electronic Mail to Offenders
The Department of Corrections in South Carolina allows inmate's to receive e-messages sent through the GTL ConnectNetwork. You must sign up for an account through the ConnectNetwork website and purchase credits that allow you to send the messages. Offenders are allowed to send reply messages using a kiosk in their housing unit. Each message costs around .25¢, making it cheaper then a stamp, and the message is also delivered faster then traditional mail. The content of all messages may be read and will be blocked if the content is inappropriate.
South Carolina Inmates Quarterly Package Program
Friends and family can order quarterly packages from Access Securepak. These packages contain various items including clothing, towels, food and snacks. There is a $200 limit on food and snack orders, other limits exist for the quantity of items and are listed on the vendors website. All inmates are allowed to receive quarterly packages except young offenders incarcerated less than 60 days, safekeepers, security detention inmates, intake inmates, canteen restricted inmates, disciplinary detention inmates, and Kirkland inmates in dorms A1,A2, B1,C1,C2, F1, F3, Infirmary, D (cells 33-64) and MSU. For all order you will need to know the inmate's name, ID number and housing unit or dorm location. The quarterly ordering dates are as follows:
- Spring Packages - Ordering starts in December
- Summer Packages - Ordering starts in March
- Fall Packages - Ordering starts in July
- Winter Packages - Ordering starts in September
How to Send Books and Magazines to South Carolina Inmates
You may also send books, magazines and newspapers to an inmate in South Carolina. Books must be ordered and shipped directly from Amazon.com. You will need to use the inmate's name, ID number and inmate mailing address for the shipping information. All books should be paperback editions. No publications may contain nudity or explain how to manufacture drugs, alcohol, or weapons, or put the security and safety of the institution in jeopardy. Offenders who are in the RHU or have an intake status are not allowed to receive publications. If you want to learn more about sending these items to an inmate read about it here.
Sending Money to Inmates in South Carolina
South Carolina Department of Corrections uses a centralized banking system. Friends and family members of inmates are allowed to make deposits to an inmate's trust account in several ways. Offenders can use these funds to purchase items from the commissary.
You can send funds to an inmate by:
- Walk In
- Internet
- Phone
Before you can send the funds you will need to know the following information:
- The Inmates Name
- The Inmates Identification Number
- The current location of the inmate
Deposit by Walk In
Friends and family members can deposit money by visiting any MoneyGram location, this includes any CVS or Walmart. You will need to use the receive code 3569. The deposit may be made for a fee of $4.95 and can be funded with cash or debit card.
Deposit by Internet
You can also deposit money to an inmate's account online using JPAY. JPAY will charge a fee based on the amount you are sending to process the transaction. This is one of the fastest and most convenient ways to send money to an inmate. You can fund the transaction using a debit or credit card.
Deposit Funds Over the Phone
Deposit funds to a South Carolina inmate's trust fund account over the phone by calling JPAY at 1-800-574-5729. JPAY will impose a fee for processing the transaction based on the total amount you are sending. You can use a debit or credit card to send the funds.
Deposit Funds Through the Mail
Sending funds through the mail has the lowest fee associated with it, but it is also the slowest method of getting funds to an offender. You will need to purchase a United States Postal Money Order from any post office. Fill the money order out completely making it payable to 'JPAY'. You will also need to fill out a South Carolina Money Order Deposit Form. Mail the completed deposit form and money order to:
JPAY
P.O. Box 260177
Pembroke Pines, FL 33026
For more information on sending funds to an inmate, read our guide here.
South Carolina Inmate Phone Calls
Inmates in South Carolina are allowed to make outgoing collect calls and prepaid calls. All calls may be recorded and monitored. Three way calling, call forwarding, call waiting and someone picking up an additional phone in your house may all cause the call to be terminated early. Pre-paid calls offer a slight discount over collect calls and are billed at a flat rate for each 15 minutes. If your only phone is a cell phone, a prepaid account will be the only way you can receive calls.
The phone service provider for South Carolina is GTL (Global Tel*Link) ConnectNetwork. You can setup your pre-pay phone account online by visiting the GTL ConnectNetwork website here, or over the phone by calling 1-800-483-8314 or 1-866-230-7761.
GTL will charge you a flat fee for every 15 minutes of your phone call. You may be able to drastically reduce your inmate telephone 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.