Mail & Packages in Alaska (AK DOC)

How personal mail works

Alaska DOC does not use an off-site mail vendor. Incoming personal mail — called “General” mail — goes directly to the facility where the person is housed. Mail staff open and inspect it for contraband before delivery, and it is delivered as physical paper. This puts Alaska among the minority of states that still deliver physical mail directly rather than scanning it off-site.

Address personal mail with the prisoner’s full name and prisoner number, the facility name, and the facility’s mailing address:

[Full name and prisoner number]
[Facility name]
[Facility mailing address]
[City, AK ZIP]

Look up the exact mailing address for the specific prison on its facility page, since each Alaska DOC institution has a different address.

Format rules for letters, cards, and photos

Personal mail must follow Alaska DOC’s white-mail rules:

• Use a white envelope and white paper, and write only in blue or black ink or pencil.
• No stickers, labels, glitter, tape, or anything attached with adhesive (postal-service labels are an exception).
• Greeting cards must be commercially produced, single-fold, on standard card stock, and no larger than 6 by 8 inches.
• Photographs must be printed on plain white or photographic paper and unaltered.
• No sexually explicit content.
• No hardbound or leather-bound books by mail.

Legal and privileged mail

Legal and other privileged mail goes directly to the facility. Mail with an attorney, and other privileged or special correspondence, is sent to the prison marked “Privileged” and is handled separately from General mail. Attorneys confirm the facility’s current handling instructions with the prison.

Books, magazines, and publications

Books, magazines, newspapers, and other publications must be ordered from an approved vendor and shipped directly to the facility — not sent by friends or family. A family member can place the order, but the person must have funds to pay for it in advance. Contact the facility for its current approved-vendor list.

Packages

Packages are accepted only from approved vendors through the commissary. Friends and family cannot send gift packages to an institution. Confirm the current package rules with the facility, since they differ by location and custody level.

Verify Before Acting

For the general, nationwide overview of this topic, see the national guide: Staying in Touch.