Type of Mail Allowed for Central Booking Facility
Postcards
The Central Booking Facility allows inmates to receive pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office. They cannot exceed 5" x 7" in size. They may also allow certain photo postcards as long as they have not been tampered with or contain images that may be considered to be obscene or violent in nature.
Envelopes
The Central Booking Facility allows envelopes to be mailed to inmates as well. They must be white. All mail must have a full return address in top left corner of envelope.
Newspapers
Local or national newspapers may also be mailed to the inmate as long as the inmate has prior approval from the Programs Supervisor or their designee, they are mailed directly from the newspaper publisher.
Magazines
News, special interest or sports magazines may also be mailed to an inmate as long as the inmate has prior approval from the Programs Supervisor or their designee, and as long as they are shipped directly from the publisher. Any magazines that contain profanity, weapons, pornography or other content that is adult in nature will be confiscated by the jail staff and will NOT be delivered to the inmate.
Books
The Central Booking Facility allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million, as long as the inmate has prior approval from the Programs Supervisor or their designee.
You can order them directly from your computer and have them shipped to the inmate at the address above.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Central Booking Facility standards will be disposed of. No more than three books may be shipped at any one time.
Hard cover books will not be accepted by the jail due to their potential to be used as a weapon.
All mail, newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to the Central Booking Facility:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate's CFN
Johnson County Adult Detention Center
101 N. Kansas Ave.
Olathe, KS 66061
By law, every inmate is entitled to receive mail delivered through the United State Postal Service. While for years, this mail was always delivered in the form of a letter or a postcard from friends and loved ones directly to the inmate, the definition of inmate mail has changed a bit.
Inmate mail can be:
• A letter in an envelope,
• A postcard,
• A greeting card, or
• A digital letter
Because of security and contraband concerns, mainly the paper and envelope that a letter is written on or enclosed in, being soaked in a liquid form of drugs, many jails are increasingly limiting the type of mail inmates can get.
Some still allow regular mail in an envelope with a stamp, but many now have the letter sent to a third-party that opens the letter, scans it and the envelope into a computer, emails the letter to the jail where they print it out, giving the photocopies to the inmate, or they send it to a computer kiosk or tablet digitally that the inmate can access.
Others only allow postcards, specifically the white, pre-stamped postcards that you can purchase from the post office.
When greeting cards are allowed, they can’t be cards with glitter, music or other do-dads. They can only be plain paper cards.
Some jails, in fact most, require that mail be written or typed with only black or blue ink. Some allow black pencils to be used.
None allow crayons, markers, lipstick prints, etc.
All require white envelopes, white paper or lined paper such as from a pad. Very few allow paper that is card stock. It must be plain white, 20-lb. printer paper.
To see the inmate mail policies for Central Booking Facility check out the inmate mail details above or call the jail at 913-715-5100 for specific information.
There are five different types of addresses for every jail:
1. The physical address of the jail
2. The mailing address for an inmate’s personal mail
3. The mailing address for the inmate’s legal mail
4. The mailing address for the jail’s administrative staff
5. The mailing address for sending money to the inmate’s trust or commissary fund
Visit the Inmate Money page for this information
In general, the only three addresses that friends and family of inmates need to be concerned about are:
• The inmate address for personal mail.
• The address for sending money orders to the inmate’s commissary account.
Visit the Inmate Money page for this information.
• The physical address of the jail.
Because this section is about mailing an inmate, the address for mailing an inmate is:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate's CFN
Johnson County Adult Detention Center
101 N. Kansas Ave.
Olathe, KS 66061
or
Inmate's Full Name
Inmate ID#
Central Booking Facility
101 N. Kansas Ave
Olathe, KS 66061
If the red address is visible, then use that address, as that is the new address the jail is using for an inmate's personal mail to combat contraband entering the facility.
To mail a letter to an inmate in the Central Booking Facility, first completely read all the mail policies and guidelines that are on this page. Also read any updated mail guidelines that are on the official page for facility. If you still have questions, then call the jail at 913-715-5100 and ask specifics.
It is important to understand that if even one thing is done incorrectly when sending a letter to the jail, even if everything else is done correctly, then your letter will not be delivered to the inmate. In fact, even though the jail claims they will mail your letter back to you so that you will know it was not delivered, there is always the chance it will be disposed of.
So here you are at home, wondering why your inmate is not responding to your letter, when in fact, they may not have even received it.
All mail to the inmate must be addressed as follows:
A full return address, which includes your full name and full address. Without this the mail will not be delivered to the inmate.
A complete address to the inmate, including:
Full Name (name that they were booked under)
Inmate ID# (booking #, SO #, etc.)
Inmate’s Housing location (if you know it)
Central Booking Facility
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip code
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate's CFN
Johnson County Adult Detention Center
101 N. Kansas Ave.
Olathe, KS 66061
A letter that is not addressed completely may not get delivered. Keep in mind that often there is more than one inmate in a jail with the same name. You certainly don’t want the wrong inmate getting your private mail, do you?
Sometimes. There are some jails that will deliver you a notification that a letter which was intended for you was returned because it was either improperly addressed, did not have return address, contained contraband of some sort, had things written in it that were against mail and jail policies, or were sent by someone you were not allowed contact with such as co-defendant or someone the court had forbidden contact with such as a spouse in a domestic violence case.
Most of the time though, the letter is either returned or destroyed, and if there are illegal substances in the letter, it will be turned over to the Johnson County Sheriff or District Attorney for possible criminal investigation and/or indictment.
Generally nothing but a letter, printouts from a computer printer or photographs can be sent to an inmate in the mail. If there is anything else enclosed, the entire letter and the contents will be returned to you or destroyed.
There are a few exceptions to this, such as several county jails in New York, including the infamous Riker’s Island. Riker’s allows all kinds of things to be mailed to an inmate, including a box of items every month.
Every jail has their own policy regarding allowing inmates to receive photographs in the mail, if at all. For Central Booking Facility’s policy, review the information on this page.
In general, most jails allow an inmate to have anywhere from four to six photographs in their possession at any one time. These cannot be polaroids, and the photos cannot be construed as even mildly sexual (such as a woman or child in a bathing suit), gang related, drug related or violent.
Some jails allow only photocopied photos.
Some jails only allow photos that are sent digitally and must remain digital.
There are only a few jails that do not allow any photos of any kind.
If you are still uncertain as the policy regarding photographs at this facility, call them at 913-715-5100.
Most jails allow newspapers, magazines and books to be sent to an inmate, if they come directly from the publisher, such as directly from the newspaper or magazine themselves, or from the specific book publisher or trusted mail order source such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
There is often a limit of the quantity of books and magazines an inmate can either receive at one time, receive each month, or have in their possession at any one time.
Hardcover books, or books with wire spiral binders are never allowed.
Any publications that portray or discuss violence, sex, gang activity, drugs, jail escapes or anything else against jail policies are not allowed and will be returned.
The policy of the Central Booking Facility should be detailed on this page. However, if it is not, then call the jail at 913-715-5100 and ask.
Keep in mind that the address the publications should be mailed to is not always the mailing address of where the inmate gets their regular mail, the mail that is scanned and forwarded digitally to them.
The mailing address for publications is:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate's CFN
Johnson County Adult Detention Center
101 N. Kansas Ave.
Olathe, KS 66061
or
Inmate's Full Name
Inmate ID#
Central Booking Facility
101 N. Kansas Ave
Olathe, KS 66061
Use the address in red if it is visible to you.
NOTE: There are a few New York jails that allow publications to be sent directly to them as opposed to having it sent through the publisher. One of the most notable exceptions is Riker’s Island in New York City.
There is no limit to how often you can send letters or cards to an inmate. You are only limited to the types of letters and cards that you can send, considering Central Booking Facility’s policies, which are outlined on this page.
An inmate can mail letters as often as they like. There is no limit to the number of letters that an inmate can write and send. They are only limited by the number of stamps they can afford to purchase through commissary, and the amount of commissary spend that the Central Booking Facility allows.
Contraband is defined as anything that the jail does not allow to be mailed to an inmate, which is just about everything. The list would fill ten sets of encyclopedias.
It easier to say what is allowed to be sent through the mail:
• When allowed, a certain number of photographs.
• When allowed, newspapers, magazines and books, if they are sent from a publisher.
• When allowed, a care package of snacks, hygiene products or clothing from a commissary company that has contracted with the jail.
Some jails allow printouts of photographs and information to be sent to an inmate through the mail. Refer to the mail policy on this page or by calling the jail directly at 913-715-5100.
Many jails contract with companies that send food, hygiene products and/or clothing to inmates. These can be purchased and sent by friends and family on a weekly or monthly basis.
You can only send items from the one that your jail has a contract with.
Check this page, the Money Page or the Commissary Page for further information, or call the jail at 913-715-5100 to see which one that the Central Booking Facility works with.
Here are the commissary package companies, in alphabetical order, that provide this service to jails in the United States:
Access Securepak
Care A Cell
Commissary order
Correct Pay
Express Account
icare
Inmate Canteen
Jail ATM
Jail Pack Store (McDaniel Supply)
My Care Pack
Oasis (jailcanteen)
Prodigy Solutions
Tiger
Union Supply Direct
The only gifts you can send an inmate must come from one of the stores above, and Central Booking Facility must contract with them.
If the item that you send an inmate is illegal, then you and/or your inmate can get in trouble, otherwise if it is not illegal, it will just be destroyed or in some cases, returned to you.
Note that if you continue to send items that are considered contraband, some of your communication privileges with your inmate, such as visitation or phone calls, may be suspended.
No, you cannot send postage stamps. Stamps must be purchased by the inmate through commissary. You can send them the money for stamps, but not the stamps.
Stamps can be purchased in the jail commissary be the inmate.
Yes. If an inmate is indigent, the jail will provide them 2-3 stamps, and an equal amount of envelopes and stationery each week.
Yes. If you send the inmate drugs, a weapon or anything illegal, it will be turned over to the Johnson County Sheriff or District Attorney and it is most likely that you will be prosecuted.
Emailing an Inmate in Central Booking Facility using Prodigy / Jail ATM Secure Messaging
Since Central Booking Facility contracts with JailATM / Prodigy Telephone Solutions. they either already or will soon provide you and your inmate the ability to use their Messaging Service to send and receive electronic messages. Try both Jail ATM & Prodigy. They are in the midst of a merger and one or the other will be handling this jail's account.
Depending on the facility, inmates can either view messages from you by:
Pay for the Prodigy Inmate Messaging Service at Central Booking Facility.
- Online,
- Over the Phone by calling 866-700-4545,
- Using a Kiosk at Central Booking Facility.
Pay for the JailATM Inmate Messaging Service at Central Booking Facility.
- Online,
- Using a Kiosk at Central Booking Facility.
- Over the phone by calling 877-810-0914.
How much does it cost to send and receive messages?
Rates to send messages vary and are subject to change.
The typical cost is $1.00 per message, plus $1.00 per photo and $3.00 per 30 second video when available.
Step 1 - Sign in or create an account to find your facility.
Step 2 - Fund Account
NOTE: By turning on messaging, you will fund your account with $5.00 and authorize Prodigy / Jail ATM to charge your payment method for the same amount if you send a message or receive a collect message and do not have enough money.
How to address your Inmate's Postcard or Envelope
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate's CFN
Johnson County Adult Detention Center
101 N. Kansas Ave.
Olathe, KS 66061
Mailed Items NOT Allowed
If your inmate is mailed anything other than a letter or postcard (or sometimes) greeting cards it won't get through.
However as stated above, because of the increased smuggling of drugs, more and more jails are only allowing pre-stamped or metered, solid color or white postcards to be received by inmates, or even using a third-party service that scans the letters and delivers paper or digital copies.
Examples of prohibited items include:
POLICIES REGARDING MAILING PHOTOS TO Central Booking Facility
Important Mail Tips
Central Booking Facility uses a service called allpaid (also known as GovPay Now) for paying an inmate's Bail Bond online for an inmate.
Register with them online or call them at 877-392-2455 for assistance.
For full information on paying an inmate's bond and getting them released after they have been arrested in Johnson County, check out our Inmate Bail Page.
If you want to deposit money online for an inmate in Johnson County you may also be able to use allpaid.
Register with them online or call them at 888-604-7888 for depositing inmate commissary money assistance 24 hours a day.
For full information about depositing money for an inmate, deposit limits and helpful instructions, visit our Send Money to an Inmate page for Johnson County.
For instructions on how to get prepared food deliverd to inmate in Johnson County follow these instructions:
For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages or freshly cooked meals to an inmate in Central Booking Facility check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Johnson County.
Using Jail ATM Digital Messaging with an Inmate at Central Booking Facility - Sending and Receiving Messages.
How It Works:
Once you sign up with Jail ATM instant Messaging you can you can send texts from the cell phone associated with the mobile number you provided at sign-up, and receive text messages from the inmate on the same cell phone. You can only use the phone number you signed up with or it won't work.
To learn more about this email service, check out our full instructions, including fees at our emailing and texting page.
Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)
For full instructions on the Central Booking Facility 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.
To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Central Booking Facility follow these steps:
For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages or sending money to an inmate in Central Booking Facility check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Johnson County.
To send messages to a Johnson County inmate follow these instructions:
Since Central Booking Facility contracts with JailATM / Prodigy Telephone Solutions. they either already or will soon provide you and your inmate the ability to use their Messaging Service to send and receive electronic messages. Try both Jail ATM & Prodigy. They are in the midst of a merger and one or the other will be handling the Central Booking Facility account.
Pay for the Prodigy Inmate Messaging Service at Central Booking Facility.
- Online,
- Over the Phone by calling 866-700-4545,
- Using a Kiosk at Central Booking Facility.
Pay for the JailATM Inmate Messaging Service at Central Booking Facility.
- Online,
- Using a Kiosk at Central Booking Facility.
- Over the phone 877-810-0914.
For all the information you need regarding messaging a Johnson County inmate at the jail, including how it's done, how much it costs, rules and regulations and more, check out our Text/Email an Inmate Page.
NOTE: All of your communication with an inmate is recorded. Use discretion in what you discuss.
To deposit money online for an inmate in Central Booking Facility follow these steps:
For all information, tips and procedures for sending money to an inmate in Central Booking Facility, or depositing money at the jail, over the phone or by mail, check out our Send Money Page for Johnson County.