To send photos to someone at the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans, you don't mail them to the jail on Perdido Street. The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office has all detainee mail sent to a P.O. box in Seminole, Florida, addressed with the person's name and folder number, and it scans regular mail so detainees can view it on kiosks inside the jail.
Below we cover the exact address format, the folder number, the photo rules the sheriff's office publishes and what your loved one will actually see. Rules change, so we keep our Orleans Justice Center facility page current.
Mailing address for photos
The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office mail instructions say all detainee postal mail must go to the sheriff's mail processor, Smart Communications, not to the jail itself. Use this format:
Smart Communications / Orleans Parish
[Full name] [Folder Number]
PO Box 9203
Seminole, FL 33775-9199
The sheriff's office also asks for the detainee's location, if you know it, alongside their name and folder number.
A few points that catch people out:
- The Seminole, Florida address is correct. It's the P.O. box the sheriff's office lists for all detainee postal mail. It isn't a mistake.
- Don't send personal mail to 2800 Perdido Street. That's the jail's street address, not the mailing address the sheriff's office gives for detainee mail.
- Your return address must be complete. The sheriff's office requires your first and last name, street address, city, state and ZIP code, and it does not allow P.O. boxes as return addresses.
You can find the Orleans Justice Center and other New Orleans facilities on our Louisiana page.
The ID number you need
OPSO calls its ID number a folder number. It goes on the address line right after the person's full name, and the sheriff's office also asks for it on money orders.
To find it:
- Search the detainee lookup linked from the OPSO detainees page. OPSO also offers a detainee search by phone.
- Ask your loved one. They can tell you their folder number on a call.
- If the person is released and booked again later, check the number again before sending.
Write the folder number exactly as OPSO shows it. A missing or wrong number is one of the most common reasons jail mail is delayed or returned.
Photo rules
The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office publishes specific rules for pictures. According to its mail instructions:
- Size: pictures must not be larger than 5 inches by 7 inches. A standard 4x6 print is well within that.
- Clothing: adults and children in the photos must be fully clothed.
- Not allowed: Polaroids, Instamatic photos, blacked-out or altered pictures, stained pictures, hand signs, money, nudity, violence or illegal acts.
- No color copies of pictures. Send real photo prints.
- Possession limit: detainees may have up to 20 pictures in their possession.
The sheriff's office also turns away blank envelopes, stamps, blank paper, pens and pencils, blank cards, and cards that are musical, pop-up or have glitter. Letters must be on plain white paper with no fragrance, lipstick, stains, glitter, markers, crayons or stickers.
Before you choose your photos, look at the background as well as the people. A sign, gesture or bit of cash in the corner of a picture can be enough for it to be rejected. Our guide on what photos are allowed in prison and jail has more examples.
What your loved one receives
At the Orleans Justice Center, expect your loved one to see your photos on a screen. The sheriff's office says all regular detainee postal mail, including postcards, letters and greeting cards, is scanned into its system, and detainees view their mail on kiosks inside the jail. Its page doesn't say whether original photos are also handed over afterward, though it still lists a limit of 20 pictures in a detainee's possession.
Either way, your photos will be viewed as digital images on a kiosk. That's still a real way to share faces, places and milestones, and clear, well-lit photos come through best. Bright, simple pictures with one or two people usually look better on a screen than busy group shots.
With InmatePics, you see what the person will receive before you pay, whether that's prints, a photocopy or a scan.
Step by step
- Find their folder number. Use the OPSO detainee search or ask your loved one.
- Pick your photos. Choose clear pictures where everyone is fully clothed and there are no hand signs, money or anything that could look like illegal activity.
- Start your order. Go to inmatepics.com/send, upload your photos and crop each to a 4x6 print.
- Choose Orleans Justice Center and enter the person's full name and folder number.
- Review and pay. It's $0.99 per print plus $4.99 per envelope, with no subscription. Ten photos in one envelope cost $14.89.
- We print and mail it. Our printing and mailing partners print your photos and mail them, addressed the way the facility requires.
We strip location data from every photo and delete your photos once your order is done.
Tips to avoid returned mail
- Use the Seminole, Florida P.O. box, not the Perdido Street address.
- Include the folder number on every envelope.
- Give a full street return address. OPSO doesn't accept P.O. boxes as return addresses.
- Keep pictures 5x7 or smaller, and never send Polaroids or color copies.
- Don't write on or decorate photos. Altered, stained or blacked-out pictures are on the banned list.
- Leave out anything extra, like stamps, blank paper or cards with glitter or music.
- Don't send mail between detainees. OPSO doesn't allow correspondence from detainees at other facilities, including other OPSO facilities.
Our post on why prison mail gets returned covers more common mistakes. If the facility returns your InmatePics order, you get a full refund or a free reprint, your choice.
Frequently asked questions
Can you send photos to an inmate at the Orleans Justice Center?
Yes. Mail them to Smart Communications / Orleans Parish, PO Box 9203, Seminole, FL 33775-9199, with the person's full name and folder number. Photos must be 5x7 or smaller and follow the sheriff's content rules.
Why does Orleans Parish jail mail go to Florida?
The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office uses a mail service, Smart Communications, that receives detainee mail at a P.O. box in Seminole, Florida. The mail is scanned into the system, and detainees view it on kiosks inside the Orleans Justice Center.
How many photos can a detainee have at the Orleans Justice Center?
The sheriff's office says pictures are limited to 20 in a detainee's possession. We split larger orders into separate envelopes, and our facility page shows the current details before you order.
What size photos can I send to Orleans Parish?
No larger than 5 by 7 inches, according to OPSO's mail instructions. A standard 4x6 print fits that rule.
Will my loved one get the actual prints?
Expect them to see your photos on a kiosk screen. OPSO scans regular postal mail, and detainees view it on kiosks inside the jail. The sheriff's page doesn't say whether originals are handed over too, so check our facility page for the latest.
Ready to send? Check the latest on our Orleans Justice Center page, read up on how prison mail scanning works, then send your photos.
