A major overhaul to how inmate correspondence is handled is set to reshape daily operations at a local detention center.
Effective November 16, 2026, the Izard County Detention Center will require all personal mail for incarcerated individuals to be sent to a third‑party scanning service in Louisiana, while legal mail remains unopened and packages continue to go directly to the facility.
Inmate Mail Scanning Procedure Changed
The Izard County Sheriff’s Office issued the notice, stating that personal letters must now be addressed to Izard County Jail, Unit 49 in Bossier City, LA. Senders must include the inmate’s name and pin number. This service will digitize the mail for access via kiosks and tablets.
Legal mail will not be scanned; it will be forwarded unopened from the vendor to the detention center. The notice emphasizes that this maintains confidentiality for attorney‑client communications. No changes to legal mail handling are planned.
Packages will still be mailed directly to the Izard County Detention Center at its P.O. Box in Melbourne, AR. This ensures that larger items bypass the scanning process. The facility will continue to receive them as before.
The change aims to reduce physical mail clutter and lower contraband risk, concerns common in U.S. detention facilities. Officials say the new system will create a safer environment for inmates, staff, and the public. Details on how inmates will receive their digital mail accounts were not yet known.
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