Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
a)
Scope
Procedures for receiving and sending mail must protect the
youth's personal rights and provide for reasonable security practices
consistent with the function of a detention facility. A youth shall be allowed
to correspond with anyone if the correspondence does not violate any State or
federal law, except a youth shall not be allowed to correspond with the victims
of the youth's current or any previous offense unless the victim has given
consent in writing.
b)
Incoming Mail
Youth shall be permitted to receive an unlimited number of
letters.
1) Incoming mail shall not be
read, censored or reproduced but may be opened and examined for contraband or
funds.
2) Cashier's checks, money
orders, certified checks or cash shall be recorded in the youth's personal
property record or trust fund account indicating the sender, amount and
date.
3) Incoming letters
containing contraband shall be held for further inspection and disposition by
the superintendent.
A) Contraband received
shall be handled with care and labeled with the date of receipt, the name and
address of the sender, the name of the youth to whom it is addressed, and the
date and names of persons handling same.
B) The appropriate law enforcement agencies
shall be notified, and the items safeguarded in the event they are to be used
as evidence in criminal proceedings or disciplinary action.
4) All mail shall be distributed
to the youth on the day it is received. A discharged or transferred youth's
mail shall be forwarded unopened. If no forwarding address is available, mail
shall be returned, unopened, to the sender.
5) A youth shall not be allowed to open, read
or deliver another youth's mail.
6)
Youth may receive books and periodicals subject to inspection by detention
staff members. Packages may be received only if approved by administrative
policy and shall be subject to inspection before being delivered to the
youth.
7) The superintendent or
designee shall retain the right to inspect non-privileged incoming mail when it
is believed that security may be impaired.
c) Outgoing Mail
Each youth shall be permitted to send, at personal expense, an
unlimited number of letters.
1)
Postage shall be provided to indigent youth for at least three letters per
week.
2) Postage supplied to youth
shall not be transferable.
3)
Appropriate stationery, envelopes and a writing implement shall be
supplied.
4) Youth may not send
packages by mail unless granted permission to do so by the
superintendent.
5) Outgoing mail
shall be collected Monday through Friday. Every effort shall be made to ensure
that outgoing mail is delivered to the US Postal Service on the same
day.
6) The superintendent or
designee shall retain the right to inspect non-privileged outgoing mail when it
is believed that security may be impaired. Except for privileged mail, youth
shall submit outgoing mail in unsealed envelopes.
d) Outgoing Privileged Mail
Outgoing letters from youth to persons or organizations listed
in this subsection (d) are privileged communications and may be sealed by the
youth prior to submission for mailing. Letters shall not be opened by the
detention staff before mailing and shall be dispatched promptly.
1) Elected or appointed federal or State
officials including any U.S. Senator or Representative; any federal judge or
the clerk of any federal court; the Attorney General of the United States; the
Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons; the Governor of the State of
Illinois; any Illinois Circuit, Associate, Appellate or Supreme Court judge;
the Illinois Attorney General; and any member of the Illinois General
Assembly.
2) The Director of the
Department; a Deputy Director of the Department; and the Chief of the Office of
Detention and Audit Services of the Department.
3) Any attorney currently licensed to
practice law.
4) All correspondence
addressed to legal aid organizations and any other organization whose official
declared purpose is to provide legal services for youth. These letters may be
addressed either to paraprofessional personnel at the organization or to the
organization office.
5) The John
Howard Association.
e)
Incoming Privileged Mail
Incoming mail from persons or organizations identified in the
preceding standard may be opened only for verifying the addressee and the
addressor, and to ascertain that nothing other than legal and/or official
matter is enclosed. Mail opening must be in the presence of the youth.
f) Disciplinary Denial
Youth shall not be denied mail rights for disciplinary
purposes; however, a serious violation of mail regulations may result in close
scrutiny of mail.
g)
Release, Transfer or Discharge
A released, transferred or discharged youth shall be permitted
to take all personal mail.