Turning a new digital page in its operations, the Tarrant County Jail is overhauling how inmates receive mail. Ditching the physical for pixels, the jail is partnering with Smart Communications to employ the MailGuard electronic mail service, a measure they claim will expedite communications and bolster internal security. According to a Facebook post by the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Bill Waybourn praised the new system as a "quick and efficient way for inmates to receives photos and letters electronically," adding that it would streamline operations and heighten safety for both inmates and the staff.
From now on, mail to inmates will change; all personal mail, barring legal documents, must route through a specified P.O. Box in Seminole, FL. The switch is immediate, so letters, postcards, greeting cards, and photos sent to inmates require addressing to Smart Communications slash Tarrant Co Jail followed by the inmate’s name and number.
Smart tablets within the facility will serve as the new medium for inmates to tap into this digital post. Friends and family, in the meantime, can keep track of their correspondences without the hassle of wondering if their messages have been lost in the physical shuffle by subscribing to MailGuard Tracker, a service where they can check delivery status and view processed mail copies.
