Mail & Packages in Montana (MT DOC)

Key info

Montana runs two different mail systems depending on the facility. At the state prisons, personal mail is scanned off-site and delivered to a tablet. At the two contract prisons, personal mail still goes directly to the facility.

At the state prisons (Montana State Prison, Montana Women’s Prison, and the Riverside unit), personal mail is scanned off-site. Since May 1, 2024, letters, cards, and photos go to a vendor, TextBehind, in Phoenix, Maryland; the person reads them as a digital image on a tablet. The original paper is not forwarded.

At the contract prisons (Crossroads Correctional Center and Dawson County Correctional Facility), personal mail goes directly to the facility — not to TextBehind. Confirm that facility’s address and rules.

Legal mail, books, and money go to the facility — not to the Maryland address. Legal mail is opened in the person’s presence at the prison; books ship from an approved vendor to the facility; checks and money orders go to the facility with no letter enclosed.

The inmate’s full first and last name and AO Number must appear on the mail.

How personal mail works at the state prisons

Since May 1, 2024, incoming personal mail to Montana’s state secure facilities does not go to the prison on paper. The Montana Department of Corrections routes personal letters, cards, and photos to an off-site vendor, TextBehind, which opens and scans each item and delivers a digital copy to the incarcerated person’s tablet. The original paper is not forwarded to the facility. This off-site scanning applies at Montana State Prison, Montana Women’s Prison, and the Riverside unit.

Address personal mail with the facility name, the inmate’s full first and last name, their AO Number (the Montana DOC ID), and the TextBehind lines:

Montana State Prison
[Full first and last name], [AO Number]
PO Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

Put the sender’s full name and return address in the top-left corner of the envelope.

How personal mail works at the contract prisons

The two in-state contract prisons — Crossroads Correctional Center (Shelby) and Dawson County Correctional Facility (Glendive) — are not on the TextBehind system. Personal mail goes directly to the facility, where it is handled under that facility’s own rules. Look up the current mailing address and personal-mail rules for the specific facility before sending anything, since these two prisons run their own processes separate from the state prisons.

Legal and privileged mail

Legal mail does not use the off-site scanning vendor. Mail from courts, attorneys, and other privileged correspondents goes directly to the facility where the person is housed, not to the Maryland address. It is opened by staff in the person’s presence rather than scanned off-site. Attorneys confirm the facility’s current handling instructions with the prison.

Books, magazines, and publications

Books and publications go directly to the facility, not to the Maryland address. They must be shipped directly from an approved vendor or retailer (such as Amazon), and the sender must be an approved visitor. Look up the current address for the specific facility, since each prison’s address differs.

Checks and money orders

Checks, cashier’s checks, and money orders are sent to the facility — not to the Maryland scanning address — and should not include a personal letter, or the item is returned. The Montana DOC notes that these require separate addresses by facility, so confirm the correct address for the specific prison.

Verify Before Acting

Sources

This page is compiled from the following publicly available sources. Policies change without notice — confirm current details with the facility before relying on them.