Detainee Correspondence

Detainee Correspondence mailed to or received from the courts, counsel, officials at the detention center, administrators of grievance system, members of the probation/parole department , protection and advocacy, and public officials. All legal/privileged correspondence will be mailed via the US Post Office.

OUTGOING MAIL All outgoing mail will have a proper return address. Outgoing mail must be addressed and stamped with proper postage. The only mail that may be sent without postage is mail being sent to a Judge or Public Defender. Outgoing mail must contain your name and the facility’s address:

Detainee Name (and number)
Roosevelt County Adult Detention Center
1700 N. Boston Ave.
Portales, NM 88130

Mail will be collected by the detention officers and will be placed in the appropriate location(s).

INCOMING MAIL

Mail will be delivered to the facility by the U.S. Postal Service.

All mail will first be checked to determine if the detainee is in custody. If not, the letter shall be returned, unopened, to the sender. If the detainee is in custody, the mail will be inspected provided that it is not legal/privileged mail.

To ensure that the maintenance of important ties with families, friends, attorneys, and the community, detainees of the Roosevelt County Detention Center are allowed to send or receive an unlimited amount of mail, provided they have sufficient funds for postage. Stamps, envelopes and paper may be purchased through the commissary. For indigent detainees, one stamped envelopes and two pieces of writing paper are provided each week, in order to maintain community ties and send legal correspondence.

Detainees are not permitted to send or receive mail from other inmates confined in this or other facilities. Packages addressed to detainees and delivered to the Detention Center by the Post Office, UPS, or other delivery service will not be accepted.

Pornographic and sexually explicit publications and photos are not allowed into the facility. Publications or pictures that encourage or show containers of alcohol or drug use are prohibited. Publications explaining/depicting the use of weapons and/or explosive devices are prohibited.

Mail received without the sender’s full name and return address will be rejected. Envelopes that contain any type of drawings, stickers, additional writing (SWAK, XOXO, write back soon) or other writing that is not part of the sender’s name and address or the detainee’s address will be returned.

Greeting cards, oversized envelopes and packages will be returned. Envelopes soaked with cologne or perfume will be returned. Envelopes that have any type of make-up or lipstick will be returned. Gang-related publications, symbols or drawings are prohibited.

Mail containing cash, stamps, blank envelopes or checks will be returned.

Money can be put on an detainees’s account by using the kiosk in the lobby of the detention center.

GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

All detainees will be held responsible for the content of the outgoing mail. Violations may result in disciplinary action. Violation of postal laws may result in referral to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.

Outgoing Privileged/Legal mail will not be opened, inspected or censored.

Outgoing Privileged/Legal mail may be held for a reasonable amount of time not to exceed 24 hours to allow verification of the privileged status of the addressee.

Incoming and outgoing letters are held for more than 24 hours and packages are held for not more than eight (8) hours, excluding weekends and holidays.