Inmate Mail and Property

The Cabarrus County Detention Center (Jail) will not accept bulk mail or any mail requiring multiple standard stamps. All incoming mail will be scanned and sent to the inmate. (Legal mail will be the only exception). Mail from another correctional facilities will not be accepted.

Inmate Mail Containing These Items Will be Returned

  • Envelopes with writing besides mailing/return or sticker address labels
  • Perfumed letters or envelopes
  • Lipstick stains
  • Envelopes/contents altered from original form or soaked/permeated in a substance
  • Bubble/clasped envelopes
  • Cash, checks, money orders
  • Inappropriate material: photos/lyrics, polaroid, sexually explicit, gang related/violent pictures
  • Any materials other than paper and photos. Examples include:
    • glue, glitter, stickers, tape, stamps and whiteout
    • newspaper clippings, pamphlets, brochures and puzzles
    • paperclips, clasps, staples, ribbons and rubber bands
    • plastic, wood, glass, cloth and magnets
  • Unauthorized writing instrument
    • Allowed: pencil, blue or black ink pen only
    • Not allowed: colored pens, pencils, magic markers or crayons
  • Inmates will be able to receive a total of eight pictures. Any pictures sent to an inmate over the eight allowed will be returned to sender.

Paperback books must be pre-approved by the Detention (Jail) Administration before shipping.  Each shipment to the inmate must be pre-approved. All books must come from a publisher or bookstore. An inmate is only allowed to receive three books at a time. In order for an inmate to receive more book shipments, an inmate must be put on the book list for each new shipment.

Books with topics known to cause a threat to prison safety and/or security are not accepted. Materials which constitute a threat include:

  • Materials which are obscene. Obscene materials, when taken as a whole, contain offensive descriptions of sexual conduct. These materials generally have no serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.
  • Materials which encourage physical violence or criminal activity upon any person or group. Such materials include promoting gang culture (i.e. tattoos).
  • Materials describing procedures to construct or use weapons, ammunition, bombs, or incendiary devices. Materials detailing procedures used in escapes are also forbidden.
  • Materials detailing procedures for the production of contraband. Also, materials discussing the introduction of contraband into the Detention Center (Jail).
  • Materials advocating ethnic, racial, gender or religious groups are inferior for any reason. These materials must not make such groups the object of ridicule and scorn. These ideas may not cause a violent conflict between the reader and members of the target group.
  • Materials in hardback format for inmate circulation.

What Inmate Property is Allowed and Disallowed?

Inmate property will is not accepted during visitation.

The Detention Center (Jail) will not accept reading glasses from the public for an inmate. Inmates can buy reading glasses in the commissary. Indigent inmates will be dealt with on a case by case basis.

Inmate underclothing must be white (no writing, buttons, zippers, etc). If underclothing is not white, it can be bought from the canteen. Inmates turning themselves in to the jail to serve a sentence may bring:

  • three white t-shirts
  • three white pairs of underwear
  • three pairs white socks
  • three white bras – no underwire