Springfield, Illinois – Starting on September 7, 2020, Sangamon County Jail Inmates will start receiving mail electronically through a mail management company called – Textbehind.
Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell says, “Traditional inmate mail has always had to be thoroughly inspected for contraband. This effective process has prevented the introduction of illegal narcotics into our facility, but it is inefficient. It takes hundreds of hours by Sheriff’s employees to accomplish this. They have found heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, LSD and K-2 soaked into paper, and cannabis glued inside Christmas cards.”
“We need a better way to prevent illegal narcotics from being sent to our inmates. This is a serious safety issue for them and our Correctional Officers.”
TextBehind will be the new Sangamon County Jail mail management provider that will receive all mail intended for inmates. They will open, inspect and scan all items received, and then forward in electronic form to the inmate. In addition, electronic mail/photos can be emailed, inspected and forwarded. TextBehind will not accept legal mail, money orders, personal checks, gift cards or cash. These items would be returned to the sender. Legal mail and money orders may still be sent directly to the inmate at the Sheriff’s Office. TextBehind operates Monday through Friday. If the item is received before 11:00 a.m., it will be delivered the same day. There is a free app for smartphones or the user can go directly through the TextBehind website. Inmates will not be able to send electronic mail or reply, but they will continue to be able to send traditional mail. Mail will be received much faster using this process.
The cost to the inmate is zero. The cost for a person to send mail through USPS to TextBehind is the cost of a stamp. If they choose to utilize email, a 4,000-character email would cost one credit, or as little as 60 cents. Up to 4 photographs could be attached at no additional cost. Credits can be purchased by going to TextBehind.com.
For more information, or to purchase credits go to TextBehind.com. The system will be up and running on September 7.