Mail & Photos to Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center

The Mailing Address

Address your letter to:

[Detainee Name, Number, Housing Unit]
Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center
201 John Mark Dial Drive
Columbia, SC 29209

Include the detainee’s housing unit if you know it, this can speed up internal delivery once mail clears inspection.

Photo Rules

Photos are accepted as part of a letter, but with specific limits: photos must be 5x7 inches or smaller, and Polaroid-style photos aren’t accepted at all. Content restrictions apply too: no images showing gang signs, alcohol, cash being displayed or flashed, and no nude, semi-nude, or negligee-style images. Photos of the facility’s interior aren’t allowed either.

Books, Magazines, and Newspapers

Hardback books aren’t accepted under any circumstances. Books must be softcover and ship directly from the publisher or bookstore, not from a family member or friend. Magazines follow the same direct-shipment rule. Newspapers must arrive through an active mail subscription, carrier-delivered copies aren’t accepted.

What’s Never Allowed in an Envelope

Richland County’s rules for this facility are unusually specific. The following are all prohibited: stamps, envelopes, notepads, or stationery enclosed inside a letter; stickers or paste; magnets or other foreign objects; laminated items; credit or debit cards; clothing or shoes; and drug-related magazine content. Including any of these is likely to get the entire piece of mail rejected.

Never Mail Cash

As with virtually every correctional facility, never mail cash directly to a detainee. Use one of the approved deposit methods through McDaniel Supply Company or a USPS money order instead, covered in the send money guide.

Every Piece of Mail Is Inspected

All incoming mail is opened and inspected before delivery. Given how specific Richland County’s prohibited items list is, it’s worth double-checking your letter against the list above before sealing the envelope, since even a small enclosure like a sticker or a magnet can cause the whole letter to be rejected.

If Your Mail Doesn’t Seem to Be Getting Through

If it’s been more than two weeks since you sent something with no acknowledgment, call (803) 576-3201 to check on it. Content that violates any of the specific prohibited-item rules above is a common reason mail gets rejected without much notice to the sender.

Send Photos and Letters with Pigeonly

The easiest way to send photos and letters to someone at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is through Pigeonly. Upload your photos or write your letter online, and Pigeonly prints and mails everything to the facility for you, following the mail rules listed above.