CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Nueces County Sheriff's Office has officially moved all personal inmate mail to a digital system; a change Sheriff J.C. Hooper tells KRIS 6 News has become necessary after jails across the nation continue to find drugs soaked into paper envelopes sent to inmates.
Starting this week, all non-legal and non-commercial mail must be sent electronically through JailATM.com or mailed to a processing center in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where it will be scanned and delivered digitally.
“Paper mail coming into a jail is problematic because it can be tainted,” Hooper said. “We were finding that a lot of the paper mail…was testing positive for fentanyl and other drugs.”
Instead of sending letters directly to the jail, families must now mail them to:
Use JailATM.com or mail directly to this address:
Nueces County Jail
Inmate ID: [Inmate Full Name]
P.O. Box 16120
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Once received, the out-of-state mail vendor scans each item, checks it for prohibited content, and uploads it to the inmate’s electronic tablet or kiosk. The physical letters are then destroyed.
Hooper emphasized that this is not a new process, but an address change caused by the jail switching tablet vendors.
“The process remains the same,” Hooper said. “Everything gets scanned and reviewed to make sure it’s appropriate, and then it’s delivered to the inmate when they log onto the tablet.”During the transition, any mail accidentally sent to the old address will still be forwarded.
“We’re not going to lose any mail during this transition period,” Hooper said.
The Nueces County Jail is among many facilities nationwide turning to digital mail systems as drug smuggling through paper increases.
Traditional screening methods can catch hidden objects but cannot detect chemicals like fentanyl or synthetic drugs absorbed into greeting cards, stationery, or even children’s drawings.
Hooper said the jail uses its own scanner to check suspicious letters, and many were coming back positive for dangerous substances.
The digital shift was made possible by the jail’s inmate tablets, which have been in use for about four years.
Hooper said they’ve made a major impact on safety, behavior, and rehabilitation.
The tablets also include:
- anger management courses
- drug awareness programs
- religious and spiritual content
- mental health and meditation tools
- a law library
- messaging and video visitation features
Judges have even seen inmates bring certificates from completed courses to court.
Hooper said the tablets also reduce idle time and lower incidents of property damage because inmates now have something productive to do.
Families can also send commissary gift items through Keefe Commissary Network, the jail’s vendor.
Once released, former inmates can log back into their JailATM account and print copies of any digital mail they received.
The jail will still enforce normal mail rules.
Any scanned images containing the following could be rejected:
- pornographic images
- depictions of illegal activity
- self-defense, escape, or weapons instructions
- drugs or biohazards
- threats or violent messages
Hooper said the goal is simple; reduce contraband and keep inmates and staff safe.
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