Inmate's Full Name & DOC Number
Allegheny County Jail
950 Second Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
All mail sent to an inmate at the Allegheny County Jail must include the sender's name and mailing address in the top left corner of your mail.
Failure to include your return address will most likely result in your mail NOT being delivered and your letter destroyed.
Main Phone: 412-350-2000
The information below provides complete instructions regarding:
Allegheny County Jail Inmate Mail Policies,
Mail Instructions,
What type of mail is NOT allowed,
Rules for Mailing Letters and Photos and Postcards,
Emailing an inmate,
Policies for Sending Magazines, Newspapers, Books and Packages to Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Follow these instructions exactly to help ensure that your inmate receives his/her mail and not have it thrown away.
The Allegheny County Jail has a zero-tolerance policy regarding mail violations.
Emailing Messages & Photos
Facility_name_1} with GettingOut, the same services that handle its Inmate Phone System and Video Visitation, for sending secure messages and photos between you and your inmate.
If you are not already registered, do so here, or Log in.
Then use the Facility Finder to:
1. Select this facility,
2. Add your inmate to your list of contacts,
3. Add a credit or debit card to cover your costs.
How Messaging Works
Watch this video on how to send a message.
1. Messages can be up to 500 characters long, including punctuation. At the bottom of your message there is a 'character countdown' feature.
2. After you click the “CONTINUE” button, you can review the cost to send your message to your inmate. You can also attach credits for your inmate to reply to your message. Be sure to accept the Terms and Conditions and click the “SEND” button for your message to be successfully delivered to your inmate.
How Uploading Photos Works
Watch this video on how to upload a photo.
1. Select the Photos Tab.
2. Select “Take New Photo” or “Upload New Photo”.
3. Take a new photo with your webcam, or select "Choose File" to upload a photo from your computer.
4. Give your photo a Title or add it to the "Gallery" of your choice.
5. Select the "Share" button.
6. Select your inmate(s) and then select "Share".
7. Once the photo is approved, it will be shared with your inmate(s).
Customer Service Questions
'Online' Contact Form, or
Call 866-516-0115
Type of Mail Allowed for Allegheny County Jail
All mail (postcards and evevelopes) must be addressed as follows:
Inmate's Full Name & DOC Number
Allegheny County Jail
950 Second Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Postcards
The Allegheny County Jail allows inmates to receive white, pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office. Ink must be black or blue and you must have a return address on it. Everything will be photocopied. Originals will not be delivered to inmates.
Envelopes
The Allegheny County Jail allows envelopes to be mailed to inmates as well, with no more than three pages of white paper (front & back) per envelope. Ink must be black or blue and you must have a return address on it. Everything will be photocopied. Originals will not be delivered to inmates.
Money orders
When you send a letter you can include a USPS or Postal Money Order for the inmate's commissary account. Make the Money Order out to the inmate and add their DOC Nmber on it.
Address the envelope as follows:
Inmate's Full Name & DOC Number
Allegheny County Jail
950 Second Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Newspapers
Local or national newspapers may also be mailed to the inmate as long as they are mailed directly from the newspaper publisher and via United States Postal Service (USPS), UPS or FedEx. Incarcerated individuals are permitted a maximum of seven publications (newspapers and magazines).
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. Incarcerated individuals are permitted a maximum of seven publications (newspapers and magazines).
Books
Allegheny County Jail allows paperback books to be sent from barnesandnoble.com and christianbook.com. You can order them directly from your computer. Books must be sent via the United States Postal Service (USPS), UPS or FedEx. Inmates can receive up to seven books per day. Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic, tattoo related or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Allegheny 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. All packages must contain a receipt from the distributor in order to ensure the inventory is correct. Any packages not containing a receipt will be returned to the distributor. All books must be delivered by the USPS, Fedex or UPS.
All Newspapers, Magazines and Books must be addressed as follows:
Inmate's Full Name & DOC Number
Allegheny County Jail
950 Second Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
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.
Allegheny County Jail Currently does allow care packages from Summit Food Service, Outside / Inside.
Emailing and Photo Sharing with your Inmate
Then use the Facility Finder to:
1. Select Allegheny County Jail,
2. Add your inmate to your list of contacts,
3. Add a credit or debit card to cover your costs.
How Messaging Works
Watch this video on how to send a message.
1. Messages can be up to 500 characters long, including punctuation. At the bottom of your message there is a 'character countdown' feature.
2. After you click the “CONTINUE” button, you can review the cost to send your message to your inmate. You can also attach credits for your inmate to reply to your message. Be sure to accept the Terms and Conditions and click the “SEND” button for your message to be successfully delivered to your inmate.
How Uploading Photos Works
Watch this video on how to upload a photo.
1. Select the Photos Tab.
2. Select “Take New Photo” or “Upload New Photo”.
3. Take a new photo with your webcam, or select "Choose File" to upload a photo from your computer.
4. Give your photo a Title or add it to the "Gallery" of your choice.
5. Select the "Share" button.
6. Select your inmate(s) and then select "Share".
7. Once the photo is approved, it will be shared with your inmate(s).
Customer Service Questions
'Online' Contact Form, or
Call 866-516-0115
How to address your Inmate's Postcard or Envelope
Inmate's Full Name & DOC Number
950 Second Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
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.
Pornography
Gang-related photos
Food
Tobacco
Jewelry
Clothing
Medication
Hygiene or grooming products
Credit Cards or Phone Cards
Checks of any kind
Cash
Stationary
Any publication not sent directly from the publisher.
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.
For instructions on how to get prepared food deliverd to inmate in Allegheny County follow these instructions:
For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages or freshly cooked meals to an inmate in Allegheny County Jail check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Allegheny County.
To Deposit Money in an inmate's account follow these steps:
**NOTE** GTL is in a transition merging into a new company called ViaPath Technologies.
Features:
All the information you need to understand depositing money into an inmate's trust fund, specifically for phone calls, but also for Commissary, in Allegheny County, can be found on our Send Money Page.
To deposit money online for an inmate in Allegheny County Jail follow these steps:
For all information, tips and procedures for sending money to an inmate in Allegheny County Jail, or depositing money at the jail, over the phone or by mail, check out our Send Money Page for Allegheny County.
To receive phone calls from inmates in Allegheny County, or to assist them in making phone calls to other people, follow these steps:
1. Start by confirming that Allegheny County Jail has the phone service you need to communicate with your inmate by the facility lookup here.
2. In the meantime, you can create an account here for GettingOut.
3. Then add funds to your account. This account can be controlled by just you, or by both you and your inmate.
4. Last, select Allegheny County Jail, and then the inmate you wish to communicate with.
Allegheny County Services that are provided by GettingOut, a GTL company:
- Phone Calls & Voicemail
- Video Visits (from home or jail lobby)
- Email & Photo Sharing
- Tablet Rental
- Deposits
Phone & Voicemail Fees
1. GettingOut charges $0.25 per minute for all phone calls, prepaid or collect, within Pennsylvania.
2. Prepaid calls between Pennsylvania and other states costs $0.21 per minute. International calls are $0.95 per minute.
3. There is a fee of $3.00 every time you add money to your account online, and it costs $5.95 if you add funds over the phone with a live agent.
4. You can also leave an inmate a short voice message for a flat fee of $1.25.
Note: Rates are subject to change.
Types of Phone Calls
Collect Calls
Collect calls allow you to accept and pay for calls to your land line (only) phone account. This means that if you accept your call from your inmate, all the charges for that call will then be billed to your land line phone account and will show up and be listed on your next local phone bill. Additional fees, costs, restrictions may apply.
Prepaid calls (Direct Calls)
With Prepaid Calls you can set up your account so that the inmate can only call you and/or you can just deposit money in their account and they can purchase prepaid phone cards through their commissary and call whoever they choose, provided the Allegheny County Jail approves of the phone number.
Quick Connect
Quick connect is an alternative to collect calls. It allows you to quickly pay for a phone call with your credit card. When your inmate calls you, follow the instructions from the automated voice system to pay for that one phone call, directly billed to your card.
Customer Service
If you have any questions about the Allegheny County Jail GettingOut phone services, you can call them at 866-516-0115.
* All the information you need to understand making and receiving phone calls with inmates in Allegheny County, can be found on our Inmate Phone Page.
To find out how to get access to a tablet for inmate read the following:
1. First, Register or Sign In to GettingOut/GTL
2. Purchase the services you want for your Allegheny County Jail inmate.
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.
To mail or email an inmate in Allegheny County follow these steps:
When mailing a letter or postcard to an inmate, please follow these instructions:
Emailing Messages & Photos
Facility_name_1} contracts with GTL GettingOut, the same service that handles iInmate Phone Systems and Video Visitation, for sending secure messages and photos between you and your inmate.
If you are not already registered, do so here, or Log in.
Then use the Facility Finder to:
1. Select Allegheny County Jail,
2. Add your inmate to your list of contacts,
3. Add a credit or debit card to cover your costs.
Customer Service Questions
'Online' Contact Form, or
Call 866-516-0115
Go here to this FAQ to get answers to how the transition to ViaPath from GTL and gettingout will affect your account.
All the information you need to understand mail and email policies for Allegheny County can be found on our Inmate Mail Page and our Text/Email an Inmate Page.
To visit an inmate in Allegheny County, whether by video or in person 'at the jail', follow these steps:
Other than 'at the jail' visits between you and your inmate, which is explained and outlined in detail on our Visit Inmate Page, Allegheny County remote video inmate visitation can be done using the services of GettingOut.
There are three ways to remotely visit your inmate in Allegheny County Jail:
1. Using the GettingOut Kiosk at the jail.
2. Using your computer from home.
3. Using your phone on the GettingOut apps.
To remotely visit an inmate in Allegheny County follow these steps:
1. Start by confirming that Allegheny County Jail's Video Visitation is working correctly by looking up Allegheny County here.
2. The next step is to create an account here for GettingOut.
3. Then add funds to your account.
4. Last, select Allegheny County Jail, and then the inmate you wish to communicate with.
Other Allegheny County Services provided by GettingOut:
- Phone Calls & Voicemail
- Email, Photo & Video Sharing
- Inmate Tablet Rental
- Deposits
Customer Service
If you have any questions about the Allegheny County Jail Visitation Services you can call them at 866-516-0115.
Frequently Asked Questions
* All the information you need to have complete knowledge about inmate visitation; policies, rules, fees, schedules, tips, dress codes, and children, lawyers and clergy visitation in Allegheny County, can be found on our Visit Inmate Page.
Allegheny County Jail Phone: 412-350-2000
