Mail & Packages in Maine (Maine DOC)

Two Addresses for Every Facility

Maine routes mail in two streams, and using the wrong address is a common error.

General first-class letters are centralized. All personal letters are sent to a set of addresses on Cushing Road in Warren, where the department scans incoming mail (a service run with the nonprofit Ameelio) and delivers a copy. This is why letters for prisons in Windham, Charleston, and Machiasport are all addressed to Warren. Packages, newspapers, magazines, and legal mail are not scanned and go to each facility’s physical address. Put the resident’s name and MDOC number on everything.

The current addresses:

• Maine State Prison (Warren) — letters and packages both go to 807 Cushing Road, Warren, ME 04864-4600
• Maine Correctional Center (Windham) — letters: 813 Cushing Road, Warren, ME 04864 · packages and legal mail: 17 Mallison Falls Road, Windham, ME 04062
• Mountain View Correctional Facility (Charleston) — letters: 809 Cushing Road, Warren, ME 04864 · packages and legal mail: 1182 Dover Road, Charleston, ME 04422
• Bolduc Correctional Facility (Warren) — letters and packages both go to 516 Cushing Road, Warren, ME 04864
• Southern Maine Women’s Reentry Center — letters: 813 Cushing Road, Warren, ME 04864 · packages and legal mail: c/o Maine Correctional Center, 17 Mallison Falls Road, Windham, ME 04062
• Downeast Correctional Facility (Machiasport) — letters: 811 Cushing Road, Warren, ME 04864 · packages and legal mail: 64 Base Road, Machiasport, ME 04655

Women held at the Women’s Center are at the Maine Correctional Center and use its addresses. Because addresses and the scanning operation can change, confirm them on the department’s Mail & Visitation page before sending anything unusual.

What Letters Can Contain

Incoming letters must be on white paper, in black or blue ink (pencil in black). The department prohibits anything that interferes with scanning or could conceal contraband: no stickers, tape, glitter, perfume or cologne, lipstick, paint, crayon, or marker, and no heavily shaded drawings. Cash is not allowed and is returned to the sender, and printed or photocopied email cannot be received. There is no limit on how many letters a person may send or receive, and general mail is distributed within about 48 hours.

Greeting cards must be single-layer card stock no larger than 8½ by 11 inches — no musical, padded, laminated, or plastic-and-metal cards.

Photos

Photos are allowed and may be enclosed in a letter, but they cannot depict nudity. Like the rest of the letter, photos sent as first-class mail are scanned at the central facility rather than delivered in the original.

Books, Magazines, and Packages

Books, magazines, and newspapers may be sent only by a publisher, bookstore, or commercial distributor — not by a family member — and any subscription must be prepaid. A “package” is any box, or any envelope larger than 8½ by 11 inches, and an incoming package may contain only items ordered through authorized channels, books from a publisher or distributor, or legal materials. A non-conforming package is returned, or the person is given time to send it back out. Newspaper and magazine articles or book excerpts may be enclosed in a regular letter if they are full, unaltered pages showing the publication’s name. Food and hygiene items are ordered through a separate package program — see Sending Money.

Legal Mail

Mail to and from courts, attorneys, and certain officials and advocacy organizations is privileged, and it is the main exception to the central scanning operation. Incoming privileged mail is opened and inspected for contraband in the resident’s presence, is not scanned or photocopied, and the resident signs for it. To be treated as privileged, it must arrive in an official envelope with a verifiable return address clearly from a privileged correspondent — marking an envelope “Legal Mail” alone is not enough. An indigent resident receives free postage for legal mail.

If Mail Is Rejected

When mail or a publication is not delivered, the resident receives written notice, and a would-be correspondent may appeal to the facility’s Chief Administrative Officer within seven business days. The resident may also challenge a mail decision through the grievance process. For a rejected book or publication, the resident generally has 30 days to have it mailed back out or picked up.

If Someone Is in a County Jail

A person serving a shorter sentence, or held before trial, may be in a county jail, which sets its own mail rules. Many Maine county jails also scan incoming mail — some route personal mail to an out-of-state processing center — so a letter sent to the jail’s street address may not reach the person. Confirm where someone is held, and that jail’s mailing address, before sending anything.

Verify Before Acting

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