Jails

Legal mail may be sent through U.S. postal service or a commercial parcel service. An attorney or other legal staff may also drop legal mail off with a Facility Security Officer at one of the jails; the person dropping the mail off must show valid identification. Such mail should be clearly marked as “LEGAL MAIL” on the address side of the envelope or parcel. Mailroom staff will take steps to verify the sender. Legal mail will be searched for contraband in the presence of the recipient.

There are rules and guidelines that apply to the different materials that may be sent through the mail. For example, books and magazines must come directly from a publisher or commercial retailer and also have some size limitations. Packages sent directly from a private party to an adult in custody will be rejected.

Adults in custody are allowed to receive publications (e.g. books), periodicals (e.g. magazines), calendars and notebooks that are mailed directly from the publisher or an approved commercial retailer. Examples of approved commercial retailers are Powell’s Books, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

Such items must not contain any prohibited materials (see list below) and must also adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Must measure no larger than 9” x 13” and 3” thick;

2. Must not be hardback or leather bound; and

3. Must not have a spiral binding.

4. An adult in custody may receive up to four publications, periodicals, calendars, or notebooks per delivery.

Adults in custody are permitted to possess four (4) publications or periodicals at a time. Books, magazines, newspapers, journals, calendars, and notebooks all count toward this limit. If an individual receives a new publication or periodical that causes them to have more than four (4) items, the excess must be donated to the jail library stock for general circulation.

Persons who are on disciplinary segregation will not receive publications or periodicals immediately, but such items will be stored with the rest of their personal items until moved out of disciplinary segregation

Persons who will be transported to another non-MCSO correctional facility are not permitted to bring books or magazines with them.

1. Alarming or Inflammatory Material, which includes the following:

• Writings, images, or other material facilitating or providing guidance for building weapons, escaping from confinement, circumventing rules of the jail, or performing unlawful acts.
• Writings, images, or other material that would pose an articulable threat to the security, good order, or treatment goals of the jail, or to the personal safety of anyone.
• Writings, images, or other material that promote a hostile work environment.
• Writings, images, or other material condoning, advocating, or whose purpose is to incite violence against others. This includes, but is not limited to, materials that promote
  supremacy over, or hatred or discrimination against a defined group or class of persons (e.g. persons of a specific race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation)

2. Contraband or suspected Contraband, including:

• Controlled substances, as defined in ORS 475.005;
• Drug paraphernalia, as defined in ORS 475.525;
• Weapons, explosives, and flammable materials; and
• Any item whose possession is prohibited by law or facility rule, policy, or order.

3. Sexually Explicit Material, which includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Photographs, images, or other visual depictions in which the human genitalia, pubic area, anus, or female areola are not completely covered by opaque material.
• Photographs, images, or other visual depictions of sexual acts or behaviors, including the following:
  • i. Portrayals of actual or simulated sexual intercourse, oral sex, or anal sex between human beings.
  • ii. Portrayals of actual or simulated penetration of the vagina or anus.
  • iii. Portrayals of actual or simulated stimulation of the breast, genitals, or anus, whether by contact with a hand, mouth, or other object or body part.
  • iv. Portrayal of actual or simulated acts or threatened acts of force or violence in a sexual context including, but not limited to, rape or acts of sadomasochism emphasizing the infliction of pain.
  • v. Portrayals of any of the actual or simulated sexual acts or behaviors described above between a human being and an animal.
• Photographs, images, or other visual depictions of actual or simulated human excretory functions including, but not limited to, urination, defecation, or ejaculation.
• Written depictions of certain sexual acts or behaviors, including the following:
  • i. Depictions of actual or simulated acts or threatened acts of force or violence in a sexual context including, but not limited to, rape or acts of sadomasochism emphasizing the infliction of pain.
  • ii. Depictions of actual or simulated sexual acts or behaviors, as described in section above, in which the participant or subject of the action is under the age of 18.
  • iii. Depictions of actual or simulated sexual acts or behaviors, as described in section above, between a human being and an animal.
• Writings, images, or other materials that violate State or local obscenity laws.

4. Other specific materials and items prohibited in mail:

• a. Blank paper or blank cards.
• b. Blank, pre-addressed, or pre-stamped envelopes in personal mail.
• c. Clippings from books (clippings from newspapers or magazines are okay).
• d. Communications restrained by a court (i.e. in violation of a court order).
• e. Currency or currency equivalents (such as bus passes, phone cards, gift cards, etc.), other than government checks.
• f. Items not readily searchable (including, but not limited to, multiple layers of paper glued or bonded together, origami or other intricately folded paper, padded or bubble envelopes, polaroid-type photos, plastic labels, stickers, tape, and materials with painted, laminated or waxed coating (including crayon)).
• g. Letters, messages or other materials intended for anyone other than the addressee.
• h. Letters or other correspondence written in code.
• i. Mail requiring payment of postage or cash on delivery (COD).
• j. Negotiable Instruments (e.g. checks), unless issued by a governmental agency.
• k. Packages from a commercial vendor containing anything other than photographs, Publications; Periodicals; blank calendars, diaries or journals meeting guidelines for Publications & Periodicals; or pre-approved religious material.
• l. Packages sent from a private party.
• m. Pictures, postcards, or cards larger than 8.5” x 11”.
• n. Plastic, wood, stone or metal items.
• o. Postage stamps.
• p. Substances such as bodily fluids, glitter, glue, lipstick, perfume, and other unidentifiable substances that may appear as stains or marks on Mail

If a person in an MCSO jail is using the telephone to harass or threaten you or another person and you would like to report this, please contact the specific facility where the person is housed. The facility will act immediately to address urgent matters.

• Detention Center (in the Justice Center downtown): (503) 988-3689
• Inverness Jail: (503) 988-5060

You may block calls from the jail by pressing 6 on the phone keypad when you receive a call.
Your number may automatically be blocked from accepting calls from the jail for any of the following reasons:
◦ Non-payment to local phone company or inmate telephone provider
◦ Exceeding daily, weekly or monthly-established dollar/credit amount limits
◦ Call recipient attempts to initiate a three-way call
◦ Court order, request from police, staff, or victims

An adult in custody may release funds in their financial account to another party in the community. To do so, the person in custody must complete a form authorizing the release of funds. The form must show the correct spelling of the recipient’s name. There are limitations: only two (2) money releases will be processed in a 30-day period and a maximum of $500.00 may be released in a single transaction.

Jail staff will not accept any walk-in requests from a person to have an inmate release money. If the adult in custody has not completed a form authorizing a release of funds, jail staff will not prompt them to do so.

Money releases may be completed Monday-Friday from 10:00 AM–2:30 PM or 3:00PM–10:30 PM; and on Saturday or Sunday from 7:30 AM–2:30 PM or 3:00PM–10:30 PM. Money will be released in the form of a check. The recipient must show government-issued identification in order to pick up the check.