Starting in February, personal letters to inmates at the Sacramento County jail and Rio Cosumnes Center will have to be written on a postcard.
Sergeant Jason Ramos says the new policy will help keep forbidden items out of the facilities. He says it will also reduce the number of steps needed to process incoming mail, "Removing staples, paperclips, those types of items as well as screening them for of any kinds of controlled substances that might be introduced. People might not realize various types of controlled substances can be applied to stamps, the inside of envelope folds, things like that."
Jails in several states -including Arizona and Florida- already have a similar policy.
Ventura County in Southern California limited inmate's incoming mail to postcards two years ago.
Sacramento County facilities will allow inmates to receive magazines and some envelopes containing official documents.
