Overview and Legal Authority
Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) mail policy is grounded in the Rules of the Board of Corrections and implemented through SOP 227.06 (Offender Receipt of Mail), the primary operational policy. That SOP states that "the Warden or Superintendent of each facility housing offenders under the Department's jurisdiction shall make provisions for receiving and dispatching offender mail." The Board of Corrections rules — particularly SOP 125-3-3-.01 through SOP 125-3-3-.10 — establish the baseline standards that all facility-level procedures must meet. SOP 227.06 is designated Level II: Required Offender Access, meaning facilities must make it available to incarcerated people.
Types of Mail Defined
SOP 227.06 identifies three categories of offender correspondence:
- Privileged Mail — Correspondence between an offender and a defined list of high-level contacts including the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Members of the Georgia General Assembly, the President and Vice President of the United States, Members of the U.S. Congress, Members of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, Members of the State Board of Corrections, the GDC Commissioner, GDC Assistant Commissioners, GDC Division Directors, the Commissioner of Community Supervision, the Statewide PREA Coordinator, the GDC Ombudsman's Office, the courts, all other governmental agencies, the press, and the offender's attorney.
- General (Non-Privileged) Mail — All correspondence not falling within the privileged category.
- Media Mail — Defined in SOP 227.06 as "messages sent electronically over an authorized network through a Kiosk" (i.e., the J-Pay/GOAL device system).
SOP 125-3-3-.03 lists the same privileged recipients with minor variations in terminology (e.g., "Deputy Commissioners" rather than "Assistant Commissioners"), providing redundant citation authority for advocates.
Attorney mail receives a specific definition in SOP 227.06: "any attorney with whom the offender has had, or is attempting to establish, an attorney client relationship, and who is licensed to practice in State or United States courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals, or the U.S. Supreme Court." SOP 125-3-3-.03 mirrors this language, stating that the attorney category "shall include any attorney, licensed to practice in State or United States Courts, Courts of Appeals, or the Supreme Court, with whom the inmate has had or is attempting to establish an attorney-client relationship."
Press mail under SOP 125-3-3-.03 carries a specific requirement: "Privileged press mail must reflect the return address including the name of the newspaper, news magazine, news service, radio station or television station commercially printed on the envelope. The mailing address of out-going press mail must reflect the name of the newspaper, news magazine, news service, radio station or television station."
Inspection of Non-Privileged Mail
SOP 125-3-3-.01 establishes the broadest inspection authority: "All incoming and outgoing non-privileged mail is subject to inspection and random reading by correctional staff, in order to reveal escape plots, plans to commit illegal acts, plans to violate institution rules, or other security concerns." The Superintendent retains authority to reject correspondence "if it is determined detrimental to the security, good order, or discipline of the institution, the protection of the public, or if it might facilitate criminal activity."
SOP 125-3-3-.02 (Inspection of Mail) adds specific address requirements: "All incoming/outgoing mail must have a complete name and address of the sender and receiver on the envelope. A complete address for outgoing/incoming inmate mail shall include the inmate's full name, state I.D. number, unabbreviated institutional name, post office box, city/state, and zip code. A return address must be present on incoming mail so that undeliverable mail may be returned to the sender."
That same rule specifies that "outgoing non-privileged mail discovered to contain or reasonably suspected of containing contraband or information presenting a direct threat to institutional security may be opened and inspected."
SOP 125-3-3-.01 further provides that "all mail between inmates or residents shall be inspected for contraband or dangerous information."
Privileged Mail: Heightened Protections
SOP 125-3-3-.03 sets the standard for privileged mail inspection: such mail "may be externally inspected by fluoroscope, metal detecting device, or manual manipulation for the purpose of detecting contraband. Such inspection must not be permitted to create undue delays." Critically, the rule requires that "all privileged mail shall be opened and inspected for contraband by an appropriately designated staff member in the presence of the respective inmate." Staff may not read the contents during this inspection — the purpose is limited to contraband detection.
SOP 125-3-3-.03 states explicitly: "Privileged mail shall not be subject to restriction as a disciplinary measure."
SOP 215.15 (Resident Legal Access, applicable to Transitional Centers) independently restates this protection: "Legal and privileged mail cannot be restricted," citing both Board Rule 125-3-3-.03 and SOP 227.06 as authority.
Contraband in the Mail
SOP 125-3-3-.02 defines contraband for mail purposes as "an item not issued to an inmate or available or authorized for purchase through the mail or the institutional store or specifically authorized by the Warden/Superintendent."
SOP 227.06 defines contraband more broadly as "items that are not explicitly authorized for possession; were acquired through unauthorized means; exceed personal property limitations on value or amount; cannot be maintained in a neat and safe manner; or which present a fire, sanitation, security, or housekeeping problem." This definition is also used in SOP 206.01 (Offender Personal Property Standards) and SOP 213.17 (Management of Detainee Property and Contraband).
When unauthorized items are found inside a letter or package, SOP 125-3-3-.09 requires that they "be removed and processed in accordance with standard operating procedures promulgated by the Commissioner. The letter or package shall be forwarded to the inmate and a record made of the identity and disposition of the items removed." The letter itself is not withheld simply because it contained contraband items.
For packages specifically, SOP 125-3-3-.06 states: "Unauthorized items contained in a package to an inmate, except items constituting evidence of a prosecutable offense, shall be returned to the sender by the institution and a record thereof maintained." The exception is items that constitute criminal evidence — those are retained.
Packages
SOP 125-3-3-.06 requires that all incoming packages "be inspected for contraband." Warden/Superintendent approval may allow otherwise prohibited items. Thirty days before Christmas, each Warden/Superintendent must "publish instructions concerning the receipt of Christmas packages." Outgoing packages may be sent by inmates but "will be inspected for unauthorized items prior to dispatch. Postage and wrapping materials must be provided by the sender-inmate."
At Transitional Centers, SOP 215.12 (IID04-0007) requires that "all packages will be opened and inspected by a staff member designated by the Center Superintendent," and the resident must show proper ID and sign a package receipt log documenting the date and resident name.
Funds Received Through the Mail
SOP 125-3-3-.05 restricts the forms in which inmates may receive money through mail: "An inmate may receive funds only in the form of United States Postal Money Orders, Cashier's Checks, or Money Orders issued by companies licensed to sell Money Orders in the State of Georgia." Personal checks, business checks, and cash are explicitly prohibited. Exceptions require Warden/Superintendent approval and may include attorney fees, institutionally authorized retail purchases, or charitable contributions. SOP 406.19 (Offender Financial Transactions and Business Activities) further governs deposit mechanisms including approved third-party vendor platforms.
Mail Abuses and Disciplinary Action
SOP 125-3-3-.07 enumerates five categories of mail privilege abuse:
- (a) Writing letters containing obscene, profane, or indecent language;
- (b) Writings containing threats or escape plots;
- (c) Writings that present "a clear threat or danger to institutional security and/or discipline" or that violate postal regulations;
- (d) Writings containing "derogatory or personal attacks" on privileged mail recipients, or receipt of mail that is inauthentic despite appearing to be authentic;
- (e) Receipt of mail or attempts to mail items "not in the prescribed manner established by the Warden at each individual institution."
SOP 125-3-3-.08 governs discipline for these abuses. Abuse of category (a) — obscene language — cannot result in discipline unless "the unauthorized language has been brought once to the attention of the inmate and he repeats said abuse in subsequent correspondence." Abuse of category (d) involving derogatory attacks on privileged recipients cannot result in discipline "unless the recipient of the outgoing writing complains and documents said complaint with the objectionable writing."
When mail privileges are suspended, the institution must "permit the inmate to notify persons on his mailing list of the period of suspension." SOP 227.06 defines the mechanism for this as a "Notification Card or Letter" — a post card, index card, or letter displaying the offender's name and address. Completed notification cards for indigent inmates must be processed by the institution.
Rejection of Mail and Required Notifications
SOP 125-3-3-.09 requires that when any mail is rejected or not forwarded, "the inmate shall be immediately notified of that fact in writing. The notice shall identify the correspondent, shall specify the date received at the institution and identify the reason for rejection or non-forwarding."
When a third party requests that correspondence with an inmate cease, the Warden must "notify the inmate of said person's desire and inform the inmate that further correspondence with the individual shall end." The Warden must then maintain a list of persons with whom the inmate may no longer correspond.
An inmate may apply in writing for reinstatement of correspondence privileges at any time but may not apply more than once in any sixty-day period. If reinstatement is denied, the inmate must be informed in writing of the reason.
Offender-to-Offender Mail
SOP 125-3-3-.01 states flatly that "all mail between inmates or residents shall be inspected for contraband or dangerous information," providing specific authority for heightened scrutiny of inmate-to-inmate correspondence.
Packages and Letters Delivered Through Visitors
SOP 125-3-4-.10 addresses the intersection of mail and visitation: an inmate may, "by prearrangement with the mail room and in advance of visits," submit items or letters to the mail room for delivery to specified visitors. However, "no packages or letters falling within the category of privileged mail may be given to any visitor for mailing, however, unless that visitor himself is the person to whom the package or letter is addressed or is that person's official representative." Following inspection, such materials are isolated securely and delivered by an institutional employee — they "shall not again come under the control of the inmate."
Who Processes Mail
SOP 125-3-3-.10 (Mail Handling) is unambiguous: "Inmates shall not be utilized in processing the mail." This is a standalone Board Rule with no listed exceptions.
Employee Correspondence with Offenders
SOP 205.02 (Contact or Business Dealings with Offenders) prohibits GDC employees from engaging in "non-job-related correspondence with" known offenders, active probationers, or parolees without the expressed written approval of the Director of Field Operations and the Assistant Commissioner of Facilities. This applies to relatives of offenders as well.
Transitional Center Specifics
SOP 215.15 applies the standard mail rules to Transitional Center residents but adds that residents may call attorneys "as needed" and that "such calls may not be restricted as a disciplinary measure." Legal and privileged mail protections at Transitional Centers are identical to those at prisons — neither can be restricted.
SOP 215.12 (IID04-0007) permits residents to receive property, books, magazines, and personal letters through the mail within established limits: "Legal, religious, educational material, personal letters, magazines, books, newspapers, and consumable items will be allowed in limited amounts so long as the quantity of such material does not create a fire, sanitation, security, or housekeeping problem."