Mail coming into the facility should be clearly addressed with the full legal name of the inmate. The full return address of the sender should be in the upper left-hand corner of the envelope.

The address for inmates residing at the main jail should be addressed like this:

Kent County Correctional Facility
[Inmate's Full Name]
703 Ball Avenue, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Inmates residing at the Work Release Annex should be addressed like this:

Kent County Work Release Community Re-Entry Center
[Inmate's Full Name]
1330 Bradford, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Inmates residing at the Sheriff's Honor Camp should be addressed like this:

Kent County Sheriff's Honor Camp
[Inmate's Full Name]
14171 16 Mile Road
Gowen, MI 49326

All incoming mail will be searched for contraband prior to delivery. The acceptable items include the following:

1. Letters sent in legal size or smaller envelope. They may not contain stamps, extra envelopes, blank pages, magazines or newspaper articles, jewelry, food items, lipstick on letter or envelope, crayon colored pictures, catalogs, and any items containing gang insignia or references or recruitment for gangs..
2. Postcards except those deemed obscene.
3. Appropriate magazines or soft cover books sent directly from the publisher, bookstore, or distribution entity. The magazines or books may not contain “Due on Delivery” bills. They may not contain nudity or advocate discrimination.
4. Photographs 5x7 or smaller, except those deemed obscene. There is a limit of (5) five photographs per piece of mail.
5. Cards no larger than 6x8 with no "glitter" or foreign substances.
6. All publications and/or personal materials depicting any degree of nudity are not allowed.

Inmate Mail Containing Contraband

If mail is found to contain anything other than what is authorized it will be marked by the property/mail room clerk with the word “contraband”. The inmate by whom the mail was addressed will be sent a form letter by the property/mail clerk. The letter will state that an article of mail was received addressed to him/her. It will state that it contained contraband, and specify what the contraband was. It will give the inmate the option of, supplying the postage and having the article returned to the sender, or having the letter stored in the mailroom for a maximum of thirty (30) days. The inmate may designate a person to pickup the contraband mail within thirty (30) days. The letter will explain that if the inmate is unable to supply the postage necessary to return the letter to the sender or designate a person to pickup the letter within 30 days, the letter and contraband will be destroyed. If the inmate wishes to send the mail back to the sender at the inmate’s expense, he/she will send an addressed envelope with the necessary postage to the property/mail room through the facility kite system.

Outgoing Inmate Mail

Inmates will have the ability to purchase envelopes, paper, and postage stamps through commissary. Indigent inmates will be given paper, stamped envelopes, and a writing utensil according to procedures listed in the inmate rulebook. A complete return address is required on all outgoing inmate mail. This includes the inmate’s first and last name and the Facility address. Any mail that does not have the required return address will be left with the inmate until the inmate’s name and Facility address is included. All outgoing mail from the facility will be stamped "Originates from the Kent County Correctional Facility" on the back of the envelope.

Inmate Telephone Privileges

Telephone access is provided to the inmates between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. All calls are outgoing collect service only. You will be charged. If you do not wish to be charged, do not accept the call. Telephones are located in every housing unit in the jail and in the booking area. Calls may be monitored and/or recorded at any time. Inmates are allowed access to the phones during their dayroom periods. We do not accept incoming calls or messages for the inmates. If you have been receiving unwanted phone calls from inmates from this facility you may request to put a "block" preventing any more future calls reaching you by calling the sergeants office at 616-632-6408.