When mailing a letter or postcard to an inmate, please address your mail as follows:
Inmate's First and Last Name: inmate's ID#
c/o Otoe County Jail
1021 Central Avenue
Nebraska City, NE 68410
All mail sent to an inmate at the Otoe County Jail must include the sender's 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 your letter destroyed.
The information below provides complete instructions regarding:
Follow these instructions exactly to help ensure that your inmate receives his/her mail and not have it thrown away.
The Otoe County Jail has a zero-tolerance policy regarding mail violations.
Staff at the Otoe County Jail has increasingly been finding letters that are being mailed to inmates being dipped into illegal drugs in liquid form. Because of this crime they may be eliminating all direct mail from families and friends and moving to a system where all personal mail (not legal) is sent to a third party who will either provide photocopies of your letters or will forward them in a digital form to be read by inmates on terminals in their unit.
Instructions on this service are listed below, or will be outlined in detail when this new policy takes affect. If you have any questions, call the Otoe County Jail at 402-873-9569.
Mail Policies regarding letters, postcards, greeting cards, digital mail, newspapers, magazines and books are listed below. Scroll down for instructions. Failure to adhere to them will result in your inmate and you losing certain privileges.
Otoe County Jail Physical Address
1021 Central Avenue
Nebraska City, NE 68410
Otoe County Jail Mailing Address
TextBehind enables you to communicate with your incarcerated loved ones located inside the United States from anywhere in the world using text letters, kids' drawings, and custom greeting cards. Unlimited inmate reply letters are processed for electronic delivery to your smartphone and email at no extra charge.
The cost to send an electronic letter is approximately $1.00.
Here’s how it works:
1. All offender mail (paper and electronic) is addressed and delivered to TextBehind. Electronic mail is sent through the apps (iphone, Google Play). Paper mail is sent to the address below:
Inmate Name and Inmate Number
Otoe County Jail Nebraska (note: please do not abbreviate the name)
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
2. If it was sent via TextBehind's app (iphone, Google Play), TextBehind can process it within one business day.
3. An additional step is involved in processing mail that is sent using the U.S. Postal Service. TextBehind will use a scanner to make digital files of the contents of the mailing—including cards, photos or artwork.
4. All digital files are then forwarded to the offender’s assigned prison.
5. The jail or prison's mailroom staff print approved pages and then delivers them to the inmate.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Here’s what happens when TextBehind receives a letter from an inmate:
YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS...
IMPORTANT TextBehind LINKS:
Register / Log in with TextBehind
Contact TextBehind with Questions
Add an Inmate to your list of Contacts
TextBehind Volume Discount packages
** Address to Mail letters using TextBehind **
Inmate Name and Inmate Number
Otoe County Jail Nebraska (note: please do not abbreviate the name)
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
RATES (subject to change):
TextBehind is a digital texting and letter writing service used by jail and prison inmates and inmate’s friends and families all across America. Due to the problem of letters and postcards containing, or soaked in contraband (drugs), TextBehind electronic and physical letters replaced the former policy of allowing mail to be sent directly from inmate’s friends and family members, and vice versa.
Type of Mail Allowed for Otoe County Jail
Postcards
The Otoe County Jail allows inmates to receive pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office. 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 Otoe County Jail may also allow regular postcards and envelopes to be mailed to inmates as well, however more and more jails are no longer allowing envelopes or paper letters due to concern about paper being dipped into liquefied drugs like methamphetamines and cocaine and then mailed into secure facilities.
To confirm that the Otoe County Jail still allows letters in envelopes call 402-873-9569 or view the Inmate Mail Instructions.
Newspapers
Local or national newspapers may also be mailed to the inmate as long as 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 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
Most jails allow books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. 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 Otoe County Jail standards will be disposed of.
Hard cover books will not be accepted by the jail due to their potential to be used as a weapon.
To confirm that the Otoe County Jail continues to allow books to be mailed by a third party publisher or bookseller, call 402-873-9569.
Care packages
Care packages are pre-chosen items packaged together and sent to the inmate from a third-party vendor. They can include clothing, snacks and seasonal items.
When a jail allows the inmate to receive Care Packages they must come directly from an approved company that specializes in serving the inmates of jails.
Call 402-873-9569 to see if the Otoe County Jail participates in a Care Package program and if so, how to purchase one.
Otoe County Jail - Emailing your inmate
Otoe County Jail uses CIDNET for Digital Mail Messaging between inmates and their friends and family.
Register here.
Friends & Family Portal Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Instructions on How to Use CIDNET
CIDNET Instrucciones
Contact Customer Support
How to address your Inmate's Postcard or Envelope
Inmate's First and Last Name: inmate's ID#
c/o Otoe County Jail
1021 Central Avenue
Nebraska City, NE 68410
All mail sent to an inmate at the Otoe County 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.
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 Otoe County Jail
Photos should not exceed 4 inches high x 6 inches wide.
Send no more than five photos at one time.
Polaroid Photos are prohibited.
Photos of weapons are prohibited.
Photos of drugs, the consuming of drugs or alcohol is prohibited.
Photos of lewd behavior or people exhibiting too much skin is prohibited.
Important Mail Tips
Mail is always scanned and inspected for contraband, obscenity and other rule infractions.
Assume that everything you write will be read by jail staff and can and will be used against you or your inmate in court.
Never write anything about the inmate's court case you wouldn't want read aloud in court.
Mail is considered by the jail to be a privilege. Any violations of the mail policies can result in the inmate's mail privileges being suspended.
The introduction of contraband by you into the jail through the mail could result in criminal charges being filed against both you and the inmate.
To set up a phone account so that your inmate can call you from Otoe County do the following:
1. Enroll in an account with Securus Technologies.
2. Choose one of three account types, Securus Debit, Advance Connect or Direct Bill.
3. Choose [facility_name_1}, then connect with your inmate.
4. If you have any questions, call Securus: 972-734-1111 or 800-844-6591.
To find out fees, how to's, calling times, limits on phone calls and other systems Securus has do that you can communicate with your Otoe County inmate, check out our Inmate Phone Page.
NOTE: All of your inmate's phone calls are recorded and stored. It is advised not to discuss their pending case.
To register and sign up for a visitation account with CIDNET Video Visitation Service, follow the instructions below:
For all the information you need to know, including instructions, special links, policies, rules, tips and solutions to possible issues regarding regular visitation and remote video visits with an inmate in Otoe County, visit our full page guide.
NOTE: All visits are recorded. Whatever you talk about, can and will be used against your inmate in court. Never discuss their pending criminal case!
Also, be warned that CIDNET may be collecting voice prints for a database which they may be sharing with law enforcement agencies.
To register and sign up for a phone account with CIDNET Inmate Phone Service, follow the instructions below:
For all the information you need to know, including instructions, policies, tips and solutions to possible issues regarding making phone calls with an inmate in Otoe County, visit our full page guide.
NOTE: All phone conversations are recorded. Whatever you talk about, can and will be used against your inmate in court. Never discuss their pending criminal case!
Also, be warned that some phone providers are collecting voice prints for a database which law enforcement agencies are building.
To send and receive secure texts or emails from an inmate housed in Otoe County follow these instructions:
For all the information you need to know, including instructions, policies, tips and solutions to possible issues with Texting and Emailing an inmate in Otoe County, visit our full page guide.
To purchase commissary for an inmate in Otoe County follow these instructions:
For more detailed information on Ordering Commissary, Depositing Money, Setting up Phone & Visitation Accounts; costs, fees, restrictions, rules and more with Tiger Commissary Services, check out our Commissary Page.