REVIEWED AND RELEASED BY
NCRO LEGAL OFFICE

UNITED STATES PENITENTIARY
ADM INISTRATIVE M AXIM UM FACILITY

Florence, Colorado 81226

Change
Notice

Directive Being Changed : FLM 5265.11F
Change Notice Number

: 01

Date

: March 6, 2006

1.

Purpose and Scope: To update Institution Supplement FLM 5265.11F, Correspondence.

2.

Summary of Changes: This Change Notice amends Page 3, Paragraph B, Outgoing
Special Mail Procedures.

3.

Table of Changes:
Remove
Page 3

Insert
Page 3, CN-01

4.

Action: File this Change Notice in front of Institution Supplement FLM 5265.11F.

5.

Office of Primary Interest: Case Management Coordinator.

R. Wiley, Warden

DISTRIBUTION:
Directives Library
All Department Heads
AFGE
Correctional Programs, NCRO

REVIEWED AND RELEASED BY
NCRO LEGAL OFFICE Date

Associate Warden (Operations)
Associate Warden (Programs)
Inmate Law Library

UNITED STATES PENITENTIARY
ADMINISTRATIVE MAXIMUM FACILITY

Florence, Colorado 81226

INSTITUTION
SUPPLEMENT
*

Number
Date
Subject

: FLM 5265.11F
: January 31, 2006
: Correspondence

1.

PURPOSE: This institution supplement is prepared to outline correspondence
procedures at the United States Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum, and Federal
Prison Camp, Florence, Colorado. This institution supplement must be read in
conjunction with the directives referenced for a clear understanding of policy.
*

2.

DIRECTIVES REFERENCED:
Program Statement 5265.11, Correspondence, dated July 9, 1999.
Program Statement 5800.10, Mail Management Manual, dated November 3, 1995.
Program Statement 1315.07, Inmate Legal Activities, dated November 5, 1999.
DIRECTIVES RESCINDED:

*

Institution Supplement FLM 5265.11E, Correspondence, dated February 8, 2005.
3.

*

STANDARDS REFERENCED:
ACA Standards 4-4042, 4-4266, 4-4274, 4-4275, 4-4279, 4-4487, 4-4488, 4-4489,
4-4491, 4-4492, 4-4494.

4.

RESPONSIBILITY:
Unit staff shall inform the inmate, upon his arrival at the institution (normally in
Receiving and Discharge) of this institution's correspondence rules and shall have the
inmate sign forms BP-407, Acknowledgment of Inmate, and BP-408, Acknowledgment
of Inmate Continuation Sheet. Unit staff shall inform the inmate that letters placed in
the U.S. Mail are placed there at the request of the inmate and that the inmate must
assume responsibility for the contents of each letter. The Admission and Orientation

FLM 5265.11F
Correspondence
Page 2
Handbook and mail presentation in the A&O video are also used to inform inmates of
these responsibilities.
Should the inmate wish to execute the BP-407, and wants his general correspondence
or funds returned to sender, the Unit Counselor shall notify the Mail Room via a copy
of the executed BP-407.
5.

PROCEDURES:
A.

AUTHORIZATION TO RECEIVE A PACKAGE - BP-331
For the purposes of correspondence, a package is defined as something
wrapped, boxed, or an envelope having a thickness of one inch or more.
Further, a package may be any mailing with contents that are not identifiable
unless opened. Packages containing publications should be endorsed
"authorized publications enclosed" or similar language to prevent the package
from being refused as unauthorized.
Packages require a prior authorization from a staff member. Packages
received for which there is no authorization on file will be refused at the Post
Office in compliance with the Program Statement on Mail Management.
(1)

Authority to approve packages will not be delegated below
department head level.
The following department heads only are authorized to approve
packages relating to their respective departments:

(2)

(a)

HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR - Only for those items,
deemed by Health Services, as essential to the inmate's health,
and are not available through regular inmate health programs.

(b)

UNIT MANAGERS - For release or court clothing.

(c)

EDUCATION SUPERVISOR - Education courses coming directly
from an educational institution only.

Arrival of authorized packages.
When an authorized package arrives at the institution, the authorizing
department will be notified that the package has arrived at the institution
by the Mail Room.
The department authorizing the package will come to R&D to inspect the
package, ensuring that the contents are authorized and in conjunction

FLM 5265.11F, CN-01
Correspondence
Page 3
with what was listed on the BP-331. The package will then be issued to
the inmate by the authorizing department. The completed form will be
distributed by the staff member issuing the package.
B.

OUTGOING SPECIAL MAIL:
All outgoing Special Mail may be sealed. Outgoing Special Mail must identify
the sending inmate as well as the addressee on the envelope. For example,
John Doe, Attorney; John Doe, Reporter, Channel 12 WWAF, etc. Special
Mail addressed to a government position or title does not require the individual's
specific name. For example, U.S. District Judge, U.S. Attorney, Director of
Corrections of the State of Colorado, etc. Outgoing Special Mail not correctly
addressed will be returned to the inmate.

*

All outgoing Special Mail must be given directly to a Unit Team member, or the
Inmates Systems Officer (at the Camp), who will verify the inmate with the
inmate name on the return address and deliver it to the Mail Room. Any
Special Mail weighing 16 oz. or more will require a Form BP-329, Request Authorization to Mail Inmate Package be completed by a Unit Team Member
and given to the Mail Room with the Special Mail. Special Mail Boxes will not
be used. The back of the envelope must have a minimum of 3 square inches
of open space in order to affix the Special Mail stamp which is required on all
outgoing Special Mail. Envelopes not allowing sufficient space for this
endorsement will be returned to the sender for re-packaging.
*
C.

INCOMING SPECIAL MAIL:
Incoming Special Mail is defined as legal correspondence that meets certain
criteria and requires special handling, specifically the opening of the
correspondence in the presence of the inmate. The criteria for mail that is
intended to be opened in the presence of the inmate is outlined in the Institution
Supplement entitled Mail Management Manual.
Self-addressed stamped envelopes that an inmate sends out to receive legal
correspondence will not be afforded special mail handling privileges when
mailed back to the institution, regardless of the markings. In addition, stamps
or stamped items received in special mail envelopes will be returned to the
sender as an unauthorized item.
The mail room will be responsible for logging of all special mail received.
Shakedown procedures for incoming special mail are outlined in the Institution
Supplement on Mail Management.
The mail room will maintain a master log book of incoming Special Mail which
will have the inmate's name, register number, the sender's name, city and state,
the date and time the mail was received by the inmate, the inmate's signature
and the issuing staff members initials.

FLM 5265.11F
Correspondence
Page 4
D.

POSTAGE:
An inmate will be authorized to possess or purchase the dollar equivalent of 60
first class postage stamps at any one time. All postage stamps in excess of this
amount will be considered contraband.
An inmate may receive free postage of five first class stamps per month, upon
his request, for maintaining community ties, providing he meets the criteria for
being an indigent inmate.
Inmates who are determined to be indigent may obtain up to five free stamps
per week for legal mail (attorneys and courts) and administrative remedy appeal
forms. In such situations, the inmate will submit a request to his Unit
Counselor, who will verify the inmate's indigent status. If an indigent inmate
has qualified legal mailings which will require more than five stamps, the inmate
will be advanced additional stamps, on the condition he signs a TRUFACS
withdrawal form. By signing this form, the inmate is acknowledging that if he
obtains funds in his commissary account, those funds will be used to repay the
amount of extra legal postage. Any questions regarding the issuance of extra
postage will be referred to the respective Unit Manager.
In the case of qualified legal mailings, the inmate will give the sealed legal mail
to his Unit Counselor. The staff member will print the inmate’s name, number
and the number of stamps issued in the stamp log. Staff will make note if the
postage was social, legal or extra legal for which a TRUFACS withdrawal form
was signed by the inmate. The staff member will initial the entry, and the
inmate will sign as receiving the stamps. The counselor will apply the postage
to the legal mail and then deliver the mail to the mail room. Free legal mail
postage will not be left in the possession of the inmate.
These same provisions apply to pre-sentence and sentenced holdovers housed
at this institution.
The Unit Manager is responsible for the issuing and accounting for all stamps
in accordance with the following provisions:
(1)

All stamps will be stored in locked cabinets.

(2)

Logs will be stored with the stamps.

(3)

Unit secretaries will not issue stamps to inmates, but may be assigned
duties related to preparation of accounting reports to the business office.

The Controller or designee will audit units quarterly, inspecting the extra stamps
log. Discrepancies will be reported in writing to the Warden, with copies to the

FLM 5265.11F
Correspondence
Page 5
Associate Warden (Programs) and the Case Management Coordinator. To
ensure maximum accountability and security, each unit will follow these
procedures:

E.

(1)

Maintain all signature logs for at least two years.

(2)

Standardize log books for all units.

(3)

Obtain inmate's signature in the log book for all extra stamps.

PORNOGRAPHY AND NUDE PHOTOGRAPHS:
Pornographic photographs and publications will be defined and processed in
accordance with current national policy as outlined in the Program Statements
on Mail Management and Incoming Publications, along with their respective
Institution Supplement.

F.

MAIL ADDRESS AND REQUIREMENTS:
All outgoing inmate mail must contain the inmate's name and register number.
The return address must be on the front of all mailings. The intent of national
policy for the institution name in the return address prohibits any abbreviations
or any shortening of the name that would not fully identify the facility as a
federal prison. Any outgoing mail that fails to meet this policy will be returned
to the sender.

*

SAMPLE OF PROPERLY ADDRESSED MAIL FOR FPC INMATES
Committed Name, Register Number
Federal Prison Camp
P. O. Box 5000
Florence, CO 81226

*

SAMPLE OF PROPERLY ADDRESSED MAIL FOR ADX INMATES
Committed Name, Register Number
U.S. Penitentiary, MAX
Post Office Box 8500
Florence, CO 81226
G.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE CORRESPONDENCE:
To ensure the security, discipline and orderly operation of this facility,
correspondence in languages other than English will be subject to translation,
review, and verification, which may cause a delay in receipt. Correspondence
which cannot be reasonably translated may be rejected.

FLM 5265.11F
Correspondence
Page 6
H.

SECURITY OF INCOMING AND OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE:
All incoming correspondence will be x-rayed prior to entering the facility. All
outgoing correspondence will be x-rayed prior to delivery to the U.S. Post
Office.

*

I.

SUPERVISION OF INMATE CORRESPONDENCE:
The Case Management Coordinator has been designated as the staff person
to supervise all inmate correspondence.
*

J.

MONITORING PROCEDURES:
All incoming and outgoing inmate mail will be monitored by any ADX staff
member. Certain inmate correspondence may be subject to additional
monitoring based on the inmate being placed on a formal review list or if any
questionable correspondence is indicated by monitoring staff. This additional
monitoring may be conducted by designated staff as necessary. All first class
mail will ordinarily be inspected and delivered to the inmate within the time limits
prescribed in the local supplement on mail management.

K.

SPECIAL PURPOSE LETTERS:
Inmates who are on restricted correspondence may be permitted, at the
appropriate Approving Official's discretion, to correspond with persons other
than those on the inmate's approved mailing list for certain one-time purposes
only. Requests for a special purpose letter shall be generated by the inmate's
Case Manager and routed through the Unit Manager and Associate Warden to
the Warden for approval. Those inmates who were placed on restricted
correspondence by an official other than the Warden shall refer the request to
that same person for approval.

L.

INMATE TO INMATE CORRESPONDENCE:
In many cases, former inmates are not permitted to have contact with convicted
persons, as a condition of their release. Former inmates under any type of
post-confinement supervision, who wish to correspond with an ADX inmate will
require the approval of their probation officer and the appropriate ADX
approving official.

M.

REJECTED INMATE CORRESPONDENCE
Returned Correspondence, BP-327, will be used to notify both the sender and
the inmate of rejected incoming correspondence. Local security concerns

FLM 5265.11F
Correspondence
Page 7
dictate only the sender’s name will be included on the form. No return address
will be noted to prevent further unauthorized correspondence.
N.

6.

INMATE CORRESPONDENCE WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NEWS
MEDIA.
1.

An inmate may write through "special mail" to qualifying members of
the news media (as the term "news media" is employed in 28 C.F.R. §
540.20(b)) specified by name or title.

2.

An inmate may not be employed as, nor act as, a reporter. An inmate
may not receive compensation or anything of value for
correspondence with the news media.

3.

A column or article published under a byline alone is not prohibited
conduct. Staff shall examine the relationship between the inmate's
activities and the inmate's contacts with the news media. The
activities which may be evidence of prohibited conduct, in conjunction
with an inmate written byline, include but are not limited to:
(a)

when the inmate publishes a news article or news column in
the news media -- as the term "news media" is employed in 28
C.F.R. § 540.20(b) -- on a regularly occurring basis (consistent
with the news media's ordinary publication cycle, i.e., daily,
weekly, quarterly, etc.).

(b)

when the inmate enters into a contractual or other agreement
with a member of the news media for a regularly published
news column or news article; or

(c)

when the inmate undertakes regularly occurring article or
column "job" assignments with the news media. An inmate
publishes on a regularly occurring basis when his publication of
articles or columns is such that it indicates a relationship or
affiliation with that news media.

OFFICE OF PRIMARY INTEREST: Case Management Coordinator.

R. Wiley, Warden

REVIEWED AND RELEASED BY Date
NCRO LEGAL OFFICE

FLM 5265.11F
Correspondence
Page 8
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

DISTRIBUTION:

Directives Libraries
All Department Heads
Associate Warden (Programs)
Associate Warden (Operations)
Inmate Law Library

AFGE
Correctional Programs, NCRO