Mail & Photos to Maine Correctional Center. Two Addresses, One Facility

Why There Are Two Addresses

MDOC’s current Mail & Visitation page for Maine Correctional Center publishes two separate addresses depending on what you’re sending:

For first-class mail other than legal mail (standard letters and notes):

[Resident’s Name & MDOC Number] Maine Correctional Center 813 Cushing Road Warren, ME 04864

For packages, newspapers, magazines, and legal mail:

[Resident’s Name & MDOC Number] Maine Correctional Center 17 Mallison Falls Road Windham, Maine 04062

This is a genuine split, not a typo we’re guessing at: MDOC’s own page lists both addresses side by side under those two headings. The Warren address is not MCC’s physical location, MCC itself is in Windham, so this appears to route general correspondence through a separate MDOC mail-processing address before it reaches the facility. If you’re unsure which address applies to what you’re sending, call (207) 893-7000 to confirm before mailing anything time-sensitive.

Women’s Center Mail Doesn’t Split

The Women’s Center’s own Mail & Visitation page lists only one address for everything: letters, packages, legal mail, and publications all go to 17 Mallison Falls Road, Windham, Maine 04062. If your family member is housed in the Women’s Center instead of MCC’s main population, use this single Windham address for all types of mail instead of the Warren address used for the main population’s general letters.

The 2021 Paper and Ink Rule

Effective April 7, 2021, MDOC requires all incoming general correspondence, meaning letters, notes, and similar written communication, to be on plain 8.5” x 11” white paper, written or printed in black or dark blue ink. This rule applies the same way across every MDOC facility, including MCC and the Women’s Center. The full policy is published as a PDF: Policy 21.02 (AF), Prisoner Mail.

Every envelope also needs a verifiable name and return address. Mail without one may be rejected or delayed.

What MCC Provides Versus What You Send

MCC gives each resident basic personal hygiene items, clothing, writing paper, and envelopes, and residents can buy snacks, stamps, a daily newspaper, a television, and a radio through the commissary. You don’t need to mail in everyday supplies. What you send is mostly letters, approved photos, and, through the correct channel, books and magazines.

Photos

MCC’s own guidance is specific about photo limits: do not send more than 45 regular-size photos at a time, and do not send Polaroid-style photos. Photos beyond these limits, or in a prohibited format, are not accepted, and the resident has to pay to have them returned to the sender.

Books, Magazines, and Newspapers: The Publishers Only Rule

MCC enforces a “Publishers Only Rule.” Books, magazines, newspapers, and similar publications must come directly from the publisher or a recognized commercial agent of the publisher, meaning an MDOC-approved book distributor. MCC does not accept these items when they’re sent by a family member, friend, or other private individual, even if the book itself would otherwise be allowed. Check MDOC’s approved distributor list before ordering, and talk to the resident directly for any facility-specific preferences, since the library also accepts donated materials under its own separate criteria (published within the last 15 years for nonfiction, and in good physical condition).

What Not to Send

• Cash in any form. Use the online Money Deposit Service or a mailed money order instead.
• Stamps, stickers, or musical greeting cards.
• Polaroid-style photos, or more than 45 regular-size photos at once.
• Books, magazines, or newspapers sent directly by you instead of through the publisher or an approved distributor.
• Colored paper, non-standard paper sizes, or ink other than black or dark blue, which don’t meet the April 2021 correspondence rule.
• Letters written in code, or anything that could be read as endangering the safety or security of residents or the facility. MDOC reserves the right to reject this kind of mail.

Legal Mail

Legal mail for MCC’s main population goes to the Windham facility address (17 Mallison Falls Road), grouped with packages and publications instead of with general correspondence. MCC’s published pages don’t spell out a separate marking or routing procedure beyond that address distinction. If you’re an attorney or working with one, confirm directly with the facility how legal mail should be labeled so it’s handled appropriately.

Sending Money by Mail

Money orders and certain checks can be mailed to a resident as an alternative to MDOC’s online Money Deposit Service, though mailed funds are held 14 calendar days after posting. See the send money guide for the accepted instrument types and what to write on them.

Where Visitor Applications Go

A completed Adult Facility Visitor Application goes to the Windham address, addressed to the Visit Office instead of to the resident directly: Visit Office, Maine Correctional Center, 17 Mallison Falls Road, Windham, ME 04062. See the visitation guide for the full application and approval process.