Sending Mail and Photos to Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women

Mailing Address

[Inmate Full Legal Name]
[Inmate DOC ID Number]
Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women
6923 Highway 74
St. Gabriel, LA 70776

Always use her full legal name (as registered with Louisiana DOC) and her DOC ID number. Mail without this information may be delayed or returned.

Note: LCIW moved into this new address in August 2025. If you previously mailed to the old St. Gabriel address or any other address, use the address above going forward.

Letters and Cards

Standard letters are accepted. Use regular printer paper or notebook paper. Any color ink. Include your return address on the envelope.

Envelope rules:

• No stickers, glitter, ribbons, or decorations on or in the envelope
• No drawings in crayon or marker on the envelope
• No perfumed or scented paper
• No items enclosed beyond the letter itself (no stamps, no cash, no newspaper clippings)

Standard greeting cards are accepted. Musical or electronic cards are not.

Photos

Standard print photos are welcome in regular mail at LCIW.

Accepted:

• Standard 4”x6” prints
• Regular photo prints from a photo printer or service

Not accepted:

• Polaroid or instant photos (security risk, hard to inspect)
• Photos with nudity or sexually explicit content
• Photos depicting illegal activity
• Photos showing gang-related hand signs or prominent tattoo displays (may be flagged)

You can mail photos loose in the envelope alongside a letter. For convenience, Pigeonly prints photos from your phone and mails them in the correct format for Louisiana DOC facilities.

Books and Magazines

Louisiana DOC rules require publications to come from approved sources:

• Books: Paperback only. Ship directly from Amazon.com or another approved retailer to the inmate’s address. No hardcovers.
• Magazines/Newspapers: Subscribe through the publisher and have it delivered directly. No forwarding from home.
• Limit: Up to 3 paperback books at a time per shipment.

Not permitted: any publication containing nudity, instructions for weapons or violence, hate content, or material that could compromise security.

Electronic Messaging and Photos via JPay

JPay offers a convenient alternative to physical mail. You can send electronic messages and photos through jpay.com or the JPay app. JPay prints physical copies and delivers them to the inmate. This can be faster than USPS for time-sensitive notes or photos.

No Packages From Home

Packages from family members are not permitted at LCIW or other Louisiana DOC facilities. Items must be purchased through the inmate’s commissary account. There are no exceptions for holidays or special occasions under standard DOC policy.

What Happens to Rejected Mail

Mail that violates LCIW’s rules will be returned to the sender or destroyed. The inmate is notified when her mail is rejected. Common rejection reasons: contraband in the envelope, prohibited content, no return address, envelope decorated or embellished, or a package sent instead of a letter.