Jail officials approve mail-handling agreement to scan inmate mail, limit hard-copy photos

Meeting attendees voted to approve a mail-handling agreement in which a third-party vendor will scan incoming letters and photographs for inmates instead of delivering most hard copies. The agreement, described at the meeting as part of the jail’s tablet services package, will allow the vendor to scan mail and hold originals for a limited period before destroying them unless an inmate or authorized requester obtains the original. “They scan the letters? Yeah. They scan the phone press? … They get to see them? Correct,” said Staff member (operations) during the discussion. Why it matters: jail staff said scanning aims to reduce contraband entering the facility and to cut costs compared with purchasing and operating a local mail scanner. Staff noted most jails use similar scanning systems and that legal mail will be handled differently to…