Prison is one of the last places where a handwritten letter still matters, but prison agencies have been putting that under threat for over a decade.

Starting August 1, 2025, Tennessee began rerouting all incoming personal mail through a third-party scanning service. Instead of receiving physical letters, incarcerated people now get digital scans or printed copies. Administrators say this policy aims to curtail contraband smuggling. But does it?

What this means for families:

• Delays in mail delivery.
• Lower quality or incomplete content as photos and kids’ artwork lose their meaning through photocopy.
• Privacy risks — a private vendor now handles and stores intimate correspondence.
• Disconnected emotions — no more touching the paper, feeling the weight of a handwritten note, or keeping a card as a lifeline.

Meanwhile, the evidence shows that mail scanning doesn’t stop contraband. 

You can read Tennessee’s official FAQ here: Tennessee DOC Mail Scan FAQs (PDF)

Once again, in the face of these ever-changing policies and increased restrictions, we’re updating our guides and helping families adapt. Every new restriction makes staying in touch harder, and hope feels more fragile. The sad and frustrating truth is, every new barrier to personal mail makes it harder to sustain relationships across prison walls. Those relationships are what keep hope alive for people in prison who are fortunate enough to have any outside contacts.

Have a story about returned mail? Please share in the comments (scroll alllll the way down below), or use this form and help us track this practice across U.S. prisons.

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