Incoming Outgoing Mail

Address

All incoming correspondence will be processed through the U.S. Postal Service. The mailing address to receive mail is:

(Inmates Name)
Blount County Adult Detention Center
920 E Lamar Alexander Parkway
Maryville, TN 37804-5002

Allowed Correspondence

The Adult Detention Center permits inmates to correspond with family, friends, officials, and other significant community contacts with a minimum of interference consistent with legitimate security needs. Correspondence, mail, and packages are received, inspected, sorted, and redistributed in a non-inmate-contact portion of the facility.

Legal Mail

Any mail received or sent to the courts, attorney of record or public official. Incoming legal mail shall be opened by an officer in the presence of the inmate. Outgoing legal mail will be sealed in the presence of a corrections officer. Packages of incoming legal material are the only bulk materials permitted, and will be delayed no more than 24 hours for inspection and other processing, excluding weekends and holidays.

Personal Mail

Incoming mail should be addressed on the front of the envelope with the inmate’s full name and address and a complete return address including the name of the sender. There should be NO other marks or writing on the front. All personal mail will be inspected for contraband. After inspection, letters and envelopes will be scanned into the KIOSK/Tablet system where they can be viewed by the inmate. The physical mail will then be placed into the inmate’s property.

Photographs

Photographs will no longer be accepted through the mail. Photographs may be sent to an inmate through the KIOSK/Tablet system

Electronic Messaging

All messages and photographs received and sent through the tablets or KIOSK are subject to review and may be blocked if deemed inappropriate.

---

Inspection and Rejection of Incoming Mail (revised 01/10/2023)

For security reasons incoming and outgoing mail will be inspected.

Contraband

Items considered contraband will be rejected including, but not necessarily limited to, the following:

• Greeting cards.
• Photographs, drawings, and artwork.
• Mail with plastic or other types of wrapping or covering.
• Mail marked with paint, crayons or marker.
• Mail with any type of label, sticker other than a address label.
• Mail containing foreign, biohazard, and /or unidentifiable substances. This includes perfume and lipstick.
• Threats of physical harm against any person or threats of criminal activity.
• Information regarding the manufacturing of explosives, weapons, or drugs.
• Content intended to encourage or assist in disrupting the orderly operation of the facility such as through a criminal act, riot, work stoppage, violence and/ or physical harm to any person, or breach of facility rules.
• Obscene or sexually explicit material or material that would encourage deviant sexual behavior.
• Plans for activities in violation of facility rules, or for criminal activity.
• Correspondence that appears to be in code.
• Gang-related material.
• Contraband concealed in mail may establish a reason for restricting correspondence and possible referral for prosecution. 
• Contraband will be disposed of in accordance with policies and procedures relating to contraband.
• If the Mail clerk determines that the contents of any mail may constitute illegally mailed material, the item will be referred to appropriate authorities.
• Unless specifically approved in writing by the Mail clerk, correspondence between inmates housed in the ADC or any other detention or correctional facility, and who are not immediate family members (parents, spouse, or sibling), will be routinely rejected. The inmate and author/sender will be notified in writing of any mail that is rejected. The inmate will have a chance to appeal the rejection within five (5) business days by filling out a grievance.
• If an inmate is no longer in our custody the officer will mark “not at this address” then stamp “return to sender” and place it back in the mail.
• All incoming and outgoing mail will contain a return address including the person’s full name.
• No internet printouts will be accepted unless it pertains directly to the case an inmate is currently serving time on and/or awaiting to go to trial on.
• Inmates with less than $5.00 in their account to spend at the inmate’s discretion during a calendar month will be provided 2 free postcards per week upon request from the commissary provider. 
• They shall also receive envelopes and postage for all Legal Mail upon request from the deputies on duty.

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