Otoe County Jail Inmate Mail
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.
Main Phone: 402- 873-9569
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.
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 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 by going here.
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.com or barnesandnoble.com. 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 or click here or here to see if the Otoe County Jail participates in a Care Package program and if so, how to purchase one.
Emailing an Inmate
A growing number of jails now offer email services to inmates and their families. This can save you time by letting you view your email from your Smart Phone, computer or tablet whenever you wish.
In addition, you don't have to deal with envelopes, stamps or the post office.
Inmates like it because the emails typically eliminate delayed mail runs so they can get your correspondence much more quickly and send responses immediately.
Jail staff likes it as it eliminates concerns about contraband entering the facility in envelopes and on paper. It also allows the jail to have an electronic record that can be called upon at any time.
Anything you or your inmate writes in an email service is put through a filter 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 has been used as evidence in criminal court cases to convict them or to file new charges.
Call 402- 873-9569 or click here to see if email services are being offered at this jail and if so, how to sign up you and your inmate.
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.
To confirm the mailing address and/or any new policies regarding inmate mail call 402- 873-9569 or check the most recent updates on the jail's website by going here.
Mailed Items NOT Allowed
If your inmate is mailed anything other than a letter, postcard or greeting card 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.
Examples of prohibited items include:
Stamps and stickers.
Musical greeting cards.
Altered mail such as perfumed or lipstick covered.
Paper with any type of stains such as grease.
News clippings.
Crayon, felt tip or hand painted drawings.
Call 402- 873-9569 or click here for a complete list of prohibited items.
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.
Call 402- 873-9569 or check the most recent policies regarding inmate photos on the jail's website by going here.
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.
Click here to view contact information for the Otoe County Jail.