Jail adopts new mailing system for inmates

DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. (WJHG) - The Walton County Sheriff’s Office is transitioning to a new digital mailing system for its inmates.

Sheriff Adkinson says he made this decision to help increase efficiency and to stop contraband from making its way into the facility. The new system is the result of a partnership with GTL, WCSO’s inmate video visitation provider and comes at no cost to taxpayers.

Deputies say inmates will now use a digital platform to access scanned images of letters, photos and drawings. Officials say all mail will now be reviewed and approved by security staff, prior to the electronic delivery to the inmate.

Here’s how we’re told it works: Family and friends will send mail to a designated Post Office Box in North Carolina. The service provider will then sort and scan the mail for digital delivery. Deputies say all inmate housing units will be equipped with wall mounted kiosks and tablet devices to allow them access to their letter images, including a scan of the envelope.

“Protecting our employees and enhancing security are the two issues that led to this decision,” said Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “But, it’s also our fiscal responsibility to save dollars in the form of staff man-hours to process and search mail.”

All mail and pictures are saved in the GTL system`s server, so when inmates are released, they will have access to all of it. Inmates will continue to send out paper mail but cannot receive it. The only paper mail inmates will receive will be legal mail. Any legal mail inadvertently received by the mail center will be forward to the jail for processing.

For more information about GTL’s corrections industry technology solutions visit www.gtl.net/.