Mail for Adults in Custody

Family members and friends can now shop, create and send gift packages directly to adults in custody at the Clackamas County Jail using the online Access Securepak® system. Learn more at ClackamasCountyPackages.com.

The Clackamas County Jail regulates mail to provide a safe, secure, and orderly treatment-based environment for adults in custody. Adults in custody may send and receive mail and receive approved publications consistent with Jail interests and accepted rehabilitation practices.

1. All adults in custody at the Clackamas County Jail will be allowed to send and receive mail that complies with U.S. Postal regulations and the rules governing the Clackamas County Jail.
2. No mail or notes may be left at the Jail for adults in custody: all such materials must be received through the U.S. Mail.
3. Adults in custody may not send, receive, transfer or possess materials in violation of the rules governing the Clackamas County Jail.
4. It is the adult in custody's responsibility to notify their family and friends about the mail rules and regulations.

Addressing Your Mail

All letters to adults in custody will be addressed in the following manner:

ADULT IN CUSTODY'S NAME (State Identification Number - SID)
c/o
Clackamas County Jail
2206 Kaen Road
Oregon City, OR 97045

Each adult in custody's State Identification Number can be found on the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Web site, using the Jail population search engine.

All incoming mail must have a return address:

FIRST AND LAST NAME
COMPLETE STREET ADDRESS
CITY, STATE ZIP CODE

Delivery Schedule

Except for circumstances beyond the control of the Jail, incoming mail will be delivered to adults in custody after it is received and processed, within 24 hours, (excluding holidays and weekends). The exception would be confiscated mail.

The jail will deliver the mail Monday-Friday, excluding holidays, barring any unforeseen circumstances

Mail received for adults in custody who are no longer in custody of the Clackamas County Jail will be returned unopened to the sender.

Adults in custody at the Clackamas County Jail are not limited in the number of letters they may send or receive. However, if the volume of such letters is so great that it results in an unreasonable hardship on the Jail then the Jail Commander may impose further limits on the volume of letters and other material that may be stored in the housing area.

Contraband

If any contraband is found in the adult in custody's mail, the Jail will seize it. Efforts will be made to identify the person who sent the contraband. Dangerous or serious contraband will be turned over to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office detectives for investigation.

Introducing contraband into a correctional facility, (through the mail or by any other means), is a CLASS C Felony. Such activity or suspected activity will be investigated for criminal prosecution.

Sending Cash

Starting Sept. 1, 2009, the Clackamas County Jail will no longer accept any cash or other negotiable items through the U.S. Mail. Upon discovery of any cash or other negotiable item inside incoming mail to an adult in custody, the entire letter and cash will be sealed and stamped "RETURN TO SENDER" and then returned.

Sending Books

The Clackamas County Jail is not responsible for loss or damage to any adult in custody's personal books received through the U.S. Mail. The adult in custody will be responsible for the care of all their personal books. Torn and damaged books will not be kept in the facility and will be returned to sender.

There is a limit of three books and three magazines per adult in custody at any one time. All books previously received by the adult in custody will be returned before obtaining others.

All books received by adults in custody through the mail must be bought and shipped from a publisher or reputable bookstore and must meet the following requirements:

1. No book will be more than 8-1/2' x 11' and no more than 2' thick.
2. No hardbound or spiral-bound books will be accepted.
3. No softbound books that have the covers removed or altered in any way will be accepted. All such books will be returned to sender.

Sending Care Packages Using the Online Access Securepak' system

Family members and friends can also shop, create and send gift packages directly to adults in custody using the online Access Securepak' system. Learn more at ClackamasCountyPackages.com.

Prohibited Mail

The following mail is prohibited by the Clackamas County Jail for the safe, secure and orderly environment in promoting rehabilitation:

1. Mail used to initiate contact with the victim(s) of the alleged crime(s) they have committed, unless the adult in custody has prior authorization from the courts.
2. Mail used to contact a witness to the adult in custody’s crime. This is to protect the criminal justice process and prevent coercion or witness tampering to the witness associated with the crime for which the adult in custody is charged.  Mail will not be allowed between the adult in custody and the witness, unless prior approval has been granted through the Administrative Lieutenant or Administrative Sergeant.  
3. Correspondence between adults in custody in the Clackamas County Jail or other correctional institutions unless the parties are married or have prior approval from the administrative lieutenant.
4. Mail that contains threats of physical harm to any person or threats of criminal activity.
5. Mail that concerns sending contraband into or out of the Jail.
6. Plans to escape, or depictions or description of blueprints or operational details on an institution's security.
7. Letters written in code.
8. Gang-related material.
9. Mail that is sensational. "Sensational" is defined as written or other printed materials that pose a direct and immediate threat to the safety and security of the Jail.
10. Sexually explicit mail.
11. Packages.
12. Polaroid-type pictures, or nine (9) or more 4' x 6' pictures.
13. Stamps, address labels, stickers, bus passes, bookmarks, calling (phone) cards and stationary/envelopes.
14. Greeting cards larger than 8 1/2' x 10', that are padded, musical, have metal clasps, plastic, string, ribbon, confetti, glitter or laminated items. Any item that by design restricts the ability to search the item is not allowed.
15. Non-paper material, including cardboard, food and clothing items.
16. Any foreign substance (lipstick, crayon, watercolors, paint, correction fluid, metallic ink, perfume, glue, tape, body fluids, etc.) on the envelope or any part of the mail.
17. Any device capable of storing electronic media (videotapes, cassettes, CD-ROMs, and computer disks).
18. Any personal checks, business checks, cashier's checks or money orders.

Outgoing Mail

Outgoing mail will be handled in a timely manner.

1. Mail submitted at "mail pass" will be sent out the next business day.
2. All outgoing mail will contain both a complete delivery address and a complete return address.
   1. The delivery address will contain the full name, full address (including city, state, and 5-digit zip code), and country if other than USA of the person to whom the mail is to be delivered.
   2. The return address will contain the adult in custody's complete name as it appears in the Jail records, the adult in custody's complete booking number, and the complete address of the Clackamas County Jail.
3. All outgoing mail will be in postage-paid envelopes and paper purchased from the Jail commissary. Adults in custody who are indigent will receive two postage-paid envelopes and four sheets of paper per week for personal mail. Indigent adults in custody will not be restricted in accessing the courts by mail.
4. Each letter can weigh no more than one ounce, (four sheets of paper and the envelope weigh one ounce) and fit within a standard 4'x 9' envelope, unless approved by Jail staff.
5. Once the outgoing mail has been sorted, it will be delivered by the United States Postal Service.

Rejecting Incoming Mail

A mail violation notice will be issued on any opened mail that was returned to sender, confiscated, or was placed in the adult in custody's property bin for content. The Clackamas County Jail is not responsible for editing the content of the mail -- rather, the entire correspondence will be rejected.

1. Notice of censorship/confiscation of mail shall be provided to the adult in custody and sender within 3 days of the action, excluding weekends and holidays. Such notice shall be in writing and set forth the reason or reasons for the action and the adult in custody and sender's right to a review upon written request within 7 days of the notice.
2. Within 7 days of the notice of censorship/confiscation, a review will be held -- if requested in writing by the adult in custody and/or sender -- to determine whether the confiscation was appropriate.
3. Unless there is substantial evidence that the mail violates this regulation, it shall be delivered to the addressee. If the Jail finds there is substantial evidence of violation, a Jail official shall order the item censored/confiscated and placed in the adult in custody's property bin or returned to the sender at the adult in custody's expense.
4. The Jail Commander may evaluate the findings of the review -- upon written request of the adult in custody -- within 5 days of the findings, excluding holidays and weekends.