Section 660. Residents' mail

A. A resident's incoming or outgoing mail may be delayed or withheld only in accordance with this section, as permitted by other applicable regulations, or by order of a court.

B. Staff may open and inspect residents' incoming and outgoing nonlegal mail for contraband. When based on legitimate interests of the facility's order and security, nonlegal mail may be read, censored, or rejected in accordance with written procedures. The resident shall be notified when incoming or outgoing letters are withheld in part or in full.

C. In the presence of the recipient and in accordance with written procedures, staff may open to inspect for contraband, but shall not read, legal mail. Legal mail shall mean any written material that is sent to or received from a designated class of correspondents, as defined in procedures, which shall include any court, legal counsel, or administrators of the grievance system, the governing authority, the department, or the regulatory authority.

D. Staff shall not read mail addressed to parents, immediate family members, legal guardians, guardian ad litems, counsel, courts, officials of the committing authority, public officials, or grievance administrators unless permission has been obtained from a court or the facility administrator or his designee has determined that there is reasonable belief that the security of the facility is threatened. When so authorized, staff may read such mail in accordance with written procedures.

E. Except as otherwise provided, incoming and outgoing letters shall be held for no more than 24 hours and packages for no more than 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays.

F. If requested by the resident, postage and writing materials shall be provided for outgoing legal correspondence and at least two other letters per week.

G. First-class letters and packages received for residents who have been transferred or released shall be forwarded.

H. Written procedure governing correspondence of residents shall be made available to all staff and residents and shall be reviewed annually and updated as needed.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 29, Issue 25, eff. January 1, 2014.

Statutory Authority

§§ 16.1-309.9, 16.1-322.7, and 66-10 of the Code of Virginia.