# Prison Mail Scanning Explained: Copies, Tablets and Originals > Prison mail scanning explained: why many prisons and jails now photocopy photos or scan them to tablets, which systems do it, and how to get the best result. Published October 10, 2026 in Mail & Facility Rules Many prisons and jails no longer hand over the photos you mail. Instead, they photocopy them or scan them to a tablet, and the original prints are destroyed or set aside. Whether your loved one gets the original print, a paper copy or a digital scan depends entirely on the facility, so it's worth knowing before you send. Here's how each method works, which systems use it, and how to get the best result either way. ## Why facilities scan and copy mail The main reason is drugs. North Carolina's corrections department says this directly: smugglers coat paper with liquid fentanyl, Suboxone, K2 and other drugs, and mailroom staff can be exposed just by handling it. Copying or scanning mail means the original paper never reaches the housing units. The trade-off is that your loved one gets a copy instead of the actual print you chose. ## The three things your loved one might receive ### 1. The original photo prints At some facilities, mail is opened, inspected for contraband and then handed over, photos and all. Some county jails still work this way. ICE's pages for its large detention centers, such as Stewart, Adelanto, Otay Mesa and Krome, describe mail being inspected and delivered to the detainee. Federal minimum-security facilities generally still deliver original prints too. ### 2. A paper copy Some systems photocopy or print every piece of incoming personal mail and give the person the copy: - **Federal prisons:** Since November 2024, federal prisons other than minimum-security facilities [photocopy all general mail, including photos and greeting cards](https://www.bop.gov/news/20241016-message-from-the-director-and-cpl-33-president.jsp). Photos are copied in color. - **Ohio state prisons:** Mail goes to a central processing center and is copied or scanned. Color items are copied in color. Original photos are destroyed after a 30-day hold unless the person pays to send them to another address. See our [Ohio page](https://inmatepics.com/facilities/ohio). - **Michigan state prisons:** All incoming personal mail is [photocopied in black and white](https://www.michigan.gov/corrections/for-families/mail-sending-mail-to-a-prisoner), and the originals are shredded. See our [Michigan page](https://inmatepics.com/facilities/michigan). - **Pennsylvania state prisons:** Mail goes to a processing center in Florida, where it's scanned. The prison mailroom then prints it and delivers the printout. Pennsylvania says photos can't be returned, and the originals are destroyed after 45 days. See our [Pennsylvania page](https://inmatepics.com/facilities/pennsylvania). ### 3. A digital scan on a tablet Other systems scan mail and send it to the person's tablet: - **Texas state prisons:** All personal mail and photos go to a digital mail center in Dallas. TDCJ says photos are scanned in color and can be saved on the tablet permanently. People without a tablet get black-and-white printed copies. See our [Texas page](https://inmatepics.com/facilities/texas). - **North Carolina state prisons:** Mail goes to a processing center in Maryland, is scanned, and is delivered on a tablet. The sender can ask for the originals back within 30 days for a fee. After that, they're shredded. - **Florida state prisons:** Routine mail goes to a processing center in Tampa and is scanned. The person sees the photos on a tablet, or gets a printout if they don't have one. Many county jails now use outside mail-scanning services too, so a jail that used to hand over prints may scan everything today. ## Is it still worth sending photos? Yes. A copy of a family photo still means a great deal to someone inside. In some systems, like Texas, a tablet scan in color can be kept and looked at again and again. A few things help: - **Send real photo prints.** A sharp, well-exposed print gives the scanner or copier the best starting point. Some facilities reject photos printed on plain paper anyway. - **Choose clear, bright photos.** Dark or busy photos can lose detail when copied, especially in black and white. - **Keep the front clean.** Writing, stickers or decorations can get mail rejected. - **Never send an irreplaceable original.** At many facilities, originals are destroyed after scanning. Send a print and keep the original safe. - **Stay within the photo limit.** Scanning centers still enforce per-envelope limits. Pennsylvania, for example, allows up to 25 photos per mailing. ## How to find out what your loved one will receive Check the facility's mail rules on its official website, or look up the facility in our directory. Each facility page shows whether people there receive prints, copies or tablet scans, where we've confirmed it. When you order through InmatePics, **we show you what the person will actually receive before you pay**: the prints themselves, a photocopy, or a tablet scan. We also send the order to the right place. If the facility uses a central processing center, we use that address and the format it requires. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do federal prisons give inmates the original photos? At most federal prisons, no. Since November 2024, facilities other than minimum-security ones give a color photocopy. Our [federal prison guide](https://inmatepics.com/guides/sending-photos-to-federal-prison) has more. ### Can my loved one get the original photos later? It depends on the system. Ohio lets the person pay to send originals to another address within the 30-day hold, and North Carolina lets the sender request them back within 30 days for a fee. Pennsylvania and Michigan don't return them. ### Are scanned photos in color? Sometimes. Federal prisons and Ohio copy color photos in color, and Texas scans in color for tablets. Michigan copies in black and white, and Texas printouts for people without tablets are black and white. ### Why do some facilities still deliver original prints? Each prison system and jail sets its own mail rules, and not all have switched to scanning. Rules change, so check before every order. For more on what to send, see [what photos are allowed in prison and jail](https://inmatepics.com/blog/what-photos-are-allowed-in-prison). When you're ready, [send photos](https://inmatepics.com/send) and see exactly what your loved one will receive.