TARRANT COUNTY, Texas — The Tarrant County Jail is transitioning to a digital mail platform for inmates.
The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) said in an announcement Friday the goal of the transition is to reduce the number of dangerous contraband items mailed to inmates.
“By making this switch, we’re also limiting the amount of items coming into the jail which adds to the safety of our inmates and staff,” said Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn.
TCSO said in a news release that it has a contract with Smart Communications to provide MailGuard electronic mail services to the jail.
“The MailGuard system is a quick and efficient way for inmates to receive photos and letters electronically and will streamline operations within the jail,” said Waybourn.
The letters, pictures, envelopes and postcards are scanned into the computer system. Once it's uploaded, the inmates can view it from smart tables inside the jail, TCSO said.
Inmates will still have access to certain physical letters, including legal documents, bank statements and publications.
Family and friends can subscribe to MailGuard Tracker and create a free account where they can view delivery status and copies of mail that have been received and processed.
Mail such as court documents, bank statements and publications must continue to be sent directly to the Tarrant County Jail at 100 N Lamar St., Fort Worth, Texas.
