TYPE OF MAIL ALLOWED FOR the Men's Central Jail
The purpose of these rules are not to make life difficult for you or to ‘punish’ incarcerated inmates further, but are here for the safety and security of all the inmates and staff who reside and work in what can be a very dangerous place.
For the time being, Men's Central Jail is still allowing inmates to receive physical mail, however many jails and prisons around the country are starting to go full-on digital; only allowing electronic messages and digital images to be accessible by inmates through kiosks or jail provided handheld devices.
All LA County Jail Inmates are made aware of the following Rules and Policies and these are also posted in the lobbies of each of the facilities to educate friends and loved ones.
Many items that are needed by inmates that you may want to mail but can’t, can be purchased directly from the LA County Jail’s Commissary. Even indigent inmates, those without any funds, are provided basic hygiene items and other items necessary for their physical and mental health.
Men's Central Jail Inmates are allowed mail in envelopes and on postcards.
They are also allowed to receive books, magazine and newspapers directly from trusted publishers and businesses.
Mailing Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Booking Number
PO BOX 86164
Terminal Annex
Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164
The following is a list of prohibited items:
If any of these items are mailed to an inmate in the Men's Central Jail, they will be returned intact to the sender (provided there is a return address) and the inmate will NOT be notified.
Read and follow this list carefully. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this policy.
ENVELOPES & POSTCARDS
*All envelopes and paper must be free of debris and/or any illegal substances, perfume/cologne, powders, lip stick, food or cosmetic items or dried liquids.
*Blank envelopes, envelopes with a metal clasp, postage stamps, envelopes with gang or suggestive drawings/artwork
*Cash, personal or second-party checks, payroll checks, out-of-state checks
*Blank money order(s) (money orders must be signed and made payable to the inmate)
*Money order(s) that would increase the inmate's trust funds in excess of the $900 limit
*Out-of-state money order(s)
*Money order in amount exceeding $200 limit
*Musical, plastic, or blank greeting card(s)
*Identification card(s) or copies of ID cards
*Paper clip(s), staple(s), pen(s), pencil(s), glitter, sticker(s), glued or gummed label(s)
*Postcard(s) larger than 6''x 9''
*Rosary bead(s), balloon(s), string bracelet(s), or jewelry item(s)
*Lottery ticket(s) or pre-paid telephone card(s)
*Cellophane tape or any type of tape on letters
*Audio, CDs, or cassette tapes
BOOKS, NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES
*Item(s) not sent directly from an accepted bookstore or publisher such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.
*Item(s) of explicit sexual nature or that depict full or partial frontal nudity
*Item(s) that depict or describe how to create weapons or commit crimes, or contains content that has been determined to compromise jail security
*Item(s) exceeding the limit of three (3) books per week
*Item(s) exceeding the limit of three (3) periodicals or publications per week
*Item(s) has metal or plastic binding
*Item(s) has a hard cover (only paperback books are allowed)
PHOTOGRAPHS & COMPUTER PRINTED IMAGES
*Item(s) does not conform to size requirements: Minimum of 3"x 5" / Maximum of 4"x 6"
*Item(s) that depict nudity, sexually-suggestive content, or gang imagery
*Item(s) that depicts content which has been determined to compromise jail security
*Polaroid photos
POLICY REGARDING COMPLAINTS & APPEALS OF A RETURNED ITEM
If you do send a book, a magazine or a publication and is returned, yet you believe that it should have been accepted by the jail and given to your inmate, you can file an appeal, as long as you appeal it within 15 days of receiving notification that the item was returned.
The LA County Jail will then provide you with their decision of your appeal within 15 days.
You can appeal the return of a book, newspaper, magazine or publication by filing a complaint here.
Your appeal MUST INCLUDE ALL the following information or it will be automatically denied:
(1) The involved inmate's name and booking number;
(2) The form's reference number;
(3) The sender's contact information;
(4) A description of the withheld/returned item;
(5) The date the item was sent to the inmate;
(6) The date the sender received this Returned Mail Notification;
(7) The reason(s) the sender disagrees with the LASD’S decision to withhold/return the item.
**If you have any questions about any of these rules, policies, guidelines and/or the appeal process, please contact the Mail Room Supervisor at 213-893-5874.
These rules, policies and guidelines are subject to change any time.
Is emailing with inmates allowed in Men's Central Jail?
No.
As of January 2023, LA County Jails do not yet contract with a service that allows email or messaging services.
A growing number of jails now offer email services to inmates and their families.
Anything you or your inmate writes in an email service is put through a filtering program that looks for certain words related to criminal and/or gang activities. There have been multiple cases in which emails between inmates and their friends or loved ones have been used as evidence in criminal court cases to convict them or to file new charges.
How Do You Fill Out an Envelope Mailed to an Inmate in the Men's Central Jail?
Inmate's Full Name & Booking Number
PO BOX 86164
Terminal Annex
Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164
All mail sent to an inmate at the Men's Central Jail must include the senders name and mailing address in the top left corner of the envelope or postcard.
Failure to include your return address will most likely result in your mail NOT being delivered and discarded.
Policies Regarding Mailing Photos to Inmates in the Men's Central Jail
Men's Central Jail does NOT allow:
Inmate Mail Tips
There are two ways to deposit money in an inmate's account in the Los Angeles County Jail system:
1. Mailing a Payment - $200 maximum
Mailing Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Booking Number
PO BOX 86164
Terminal Annex
Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164
2. Dropping off a payment - $200 maximum
When dropping off an inmate's money in person, the Men's Central Jail will only accept:
Locations to drop off inmate money:
Inmate Reception Center
450 Bauchet Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
or
Century Regional Detention Facility
11705 S. Alameda Street
Lynwood, CA 90262
For complete information and guidelines for sending an inmate money including: the maximum you can send, what form the payment has to be, the maximum an inmate can have in their account and more, check out our Inmate Money page.
Men's Central Jail Inmates are allowed mail in envelopes and on postcards. They are also allowed to receive photos.
They are also allowed to receive books, magazine and newspapers directly from trusted publishers and businesses.
Mailing Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Booking Number
PO BOX 86164
Terminal Annex
Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164
To learn all the rules, policies and guidelines, and they are extensive, for sending anything in the mail to an inmate at any of the Los Angeles County Jails, check out our Inmate Mail Page.
To find out how to get access to a tablet for an inmate read the following:
1. First, Register or Sign In to GTL / Viapath Services.
2. In the top menu, click on 'Services', then on 'Inmate Devices & Content'.
3. All inmates have free access to the tablets to read their letters from family & friends, but there are many other services available to keep your inmate busy while incarcerated... such as Games, Books, Music and Movies. These other services come with fees that you can pay for when you pay for phone service.
To learn more about Tablet Rentals for inmates, including the cost, all the services available and everything else you need to know, check out our Tablet Rental Page.
Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)
For full instructions on the Men's Central Jail Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.
As of January 2023, LA County Jails do not yet contract with a service that allows email or messaging services. For the time being the only communication with inmates by US Mail, By Phone or by Visiting them at the facility.
For more information on how jails across America are using third-party email services to allow communication between inmates and their loved ones, check out our Inmate Email page.
Follow these instructions to register, schedule and then visit an inmate using GTL.
Inmate Visitation times in Men's Central Jail vary based on many considerations.
After you select your inmate, you will be given the option of available time slots.
| DAY | TIME |
| SUNDAY | 8:00AM - 9:00PM |
| MONDAY | 8:00AM - 9:00PM |
| TUESDAY | 8:00AM - 9:00PM |
| WEDNESDAY | 8:00AM - 9:00PM |
| THURSDAY | 8:00AM - 9:00PM |
| FRIDAY | 8:00AM - 9:00PM |
| SATURDAY | 8:00AM - 9:00PM |
For all the information you need to know regarding scheduling, times, cost, rules, tips and guidelines of inmate visits at the Men's Central Jail, check out our Visit Inmate Page.
To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Men's Central Jail follow these steps:
For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Men's Central Jail check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Los Angeles County.
