Mail at the jail

Inmates can receive mail here at the jail - delivered by the U.S. Postal Service or a private delivery service.

Inmates can receive letters and cards. All mail is opened and searched in front of the inmate before being delivered.

You can only send three photographs to an inmate.

If you want to send magazines or newspapers, they have to come directly from the publisher.

You can only send three books at a time and books have to be sent from a book dealer. My mom usually sends me books from Amazon.com or from a book seller on eBay, which is much cheaper. Books can't come from a regular person selling books on eBay or they'll be returned to the seller.

My mom's sent me all the James Patterson books, two books by James Frey, the first five Patricia Cornwell books, The Good Earth and The Grapes of Wrath.

We share the books in here and there is a real lack of anything new to read.

Self-addressed, stamped envelopes and stamps can't be sent to the jail. Inmates have to buy envelopes and stamps from the commissary.

One large stamped envelope costs .60 in here. A writing pad costs $1.25. A regular envelope is .25 and a book of 10 stamps is $4.20. A pencil is .20 and a pen .21.

If you'd like to send an inmate a letter, you will need to address it as follows:

Full name, identification (docket) number, housing assignment
Pinellas County Jail
14400 49th Street North
Clearwater, Florida 33762-2877

You can find the docket number and housing assignment here.