33-210.101: Routine Mail
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose and effect of the proposed rule is to provide clarity regarding the types of paper which may be sent in and impose requirements necessary for the security of the institutions.
SUMMARY: The proposed rule amends Rule 33-210.101, F.A.C., to require that mail be written in English or Spanish or, if an inmate cannot read one of these languages, to require that the inmate shall request approval to receive mail in other languages. Correspondence in a language other than English or Spanish may be photocopied and sent to another institution or the central office for translation. All mail must be sent through the United States Postal Service and contain a return address, and the proposed rule would clarify the types of paper and packaging permitted as well as the subject matter allowed. The proposed rule would prohibit the use of third-party mailing services by both inmates and senders that allow inmates to place advertisements on the internet. The number of permitted additional pages of written material would be increased from five to 15, and the provision concerning postage for inmates for the submission of complaints to the Florida Bar would be moved to Rule 33-210.102, F.A.C.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 944.09 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 20.315, 944.09 FS.
IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN FAW.
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Kendra Lee Jowers, Office of the General Counsel, Department of Corrections, 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2500
THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:
33-210.101 Routine Mail.
(1) No change.
(2) Inmates will be permitted to receive only the following types of materials through routine mail:
(a) Written correspondence (no limit as to number of pages). Correspondence shall be written in either English or Spanish. Inmates who cannot read and write in English or Spanish shall request approval from the warden to correspond in the language which the inmate can read and write using Form DC6-236, Inmate Request. Correspondence may be written on greeting cards, but cards containing electronic or other non-paper parts, cards which are constructed in such a way as to permit concealment of contraband, or which are larger than 8''x10'' will not be permitted. Form DC6-236 is incorporated by reference in Rule 33-103.019, F.A.C.
(b) Up to 15 pages of additional written materials, unless the additional written materials pertain to an inmate’s legal case or health, or prior approval is obtained from the warden to send in an enclosure of greater than 15 five pages. Each page can be no larger than 8 1/2'' x 14'' in size; material can be on both sides of a page. This does not include bound publications which shall will be handled pursuant to Rule 33-501.401, F.A.C. Individual newspaper or magazine articles or clippings or clippings from other publications the content of which is otherwise admissible are permissible, up to the 15 page limit. No item can be glued, taped, stapled or otherwise affixed to a page. Requests to send enclosures of greater than 15 five pages shall be made to the warden or his designee prior to sending the material. Exceptions to the 15 five page limitation are intended for enclosures concerning legal, medical, or other significant issues, and not for material for general reading or entertainment purposes. The warden shall advise the sender and the mail room of his approval or disapproval of the request.
(c) Photographs. Photographs will be counted toward the 15 page additional materials limitation. Nude photographs or photographs which reveal genitalia, buttocks, or the female breast will not be permitted. Polaroid photographs will not be permitted. Photographs will not exceed 8''x10''.
(d) Self-addressed stamped envelopes. These items do not count toward the 15 page limitation for additional materials, but cannot exceed the equivalent of 20 (1 oz.) first class stamps.
(e) Blank greeting cards (no larger than 8''x10''), stationery or other blank writing paper (lined or unlined), or envelopes. Card stock, sketch paper, and other types of craft paper may not be included. These items do not count toward the 15 page limitation for additional materials, but cannot exceed 10 each in number, with a total possession limit of 15 of each item.
(f) U.S. postage stamps. The value of the stamps cannot exceed the equivalent of 20 (1 oz.) first class stamps. These items do not count toward the 15 five page limitation for additional materials. Inmates shall not possess more than the maximum number of stamps permitted by Rule 33-602.201, F.A.C. Due care shall be exercised in processing mail, however, the department shall not be responsible for any postage stamps sent through the mail.
(3) No other items may be received through incoming routine mail. If an impermissible item is found (other than items of an illegal nature) the entire correspondence will be returned to the sender pursuant to subsection (13) of this rule. For example, the following items are not permissible for inclusion in or attachment to routine mail:
(a) through (c) No change;
(d) Address labels (other than those affixed to the outside of the envelope); or
(e) No change.
(4) No change.
(5) Any routine mail sent or received shall may be opened, examined and is subject to being read by a designated employee. If the warden has approved an inmate to receive correspondence written in a language other than English or Spanish the correspondence may be translated to confirm that it complies with the applicable rules. If the language cannot be translated by an employee at the facility the correspondence may be photocopied and sent to another institution or the central office for translation. Outgoing mail shall not be sealed by the inmate sender. Incoming and outgoing mail that is properly addressed and otherwise in compliance with applicable rules shall not be held for processing for more than 48 hours of receipt by the mail room, excluding weekends and holidays.
(6) Except as provided in this rule section, inmates may send mail to and receive mail from any person or group they wish.
(7) through (8) No change.
(9) Inmates shall not use correspondence privileges to solicit or otherwise commercially advertise for money, goods or services. For the purposes of this rule this includes advertising for pen-pals; inmates are not prohibited from corresponding with pen-pals, but shall not place ads soliciting pen pals. Inmates are prohibited from receiving correspondence or materials from persons or groups marketing advertising services, or from subscribing to advertising services. Inmates who post ads or have ads posted with the assistance of another person shall be subject to disciplinary action.
(10) No change.
(11) Outgoing or incoming mail shall be disapproved for mailing or delivery to the inmate if any part of it:
(a) through (c) No change.
(d) Is written in code or is otherwise written in a manner that is not reasonably subject to interpretation by staff as to meaning or intent;
(e) through (f) No change;
(g) Is dangerously inflammatory in that it advocates or encourages riot, insurrection, disruption of the institution, violation of department or institution rules, the violation of which would present a serious threat to the security, order or rehabilitative objectives of the institution or the safety of any person;
(h) No change.
(i) Pictorially depicts sexual conduct as defined by Section 847.001, F.S., as follows:
1. through 5. No change.
6. Actual contact with a person’s unclothed genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or, if such person is a female, breast with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of either party;
7.6. Any act or conduct which constitutes sexual battery or simulates that sexual battery is being or will be committed.
(j) Presents nudity or a lewd exhibition of the genitals in such a way as to create the appearance that sexual conduct is imminent, i.e., display of contact or intended contact with genitals, pubic area, buttocks or female breasts orally, digitally or by foreign object, or display of sexual organs in an aroused state.
(k) No change.
(l) It contains an advertisement promoting any of the following where the advertisement is the focus of, rather than being incidental to, the publication or the advertising is prominent or prevalent throughout the publication.
1. Three-way calling services;
2. Pen-pal services;
3. The purchase of products or services with postage stamps; or
4. Conducting a business or profession while incarcerated.
(l) through (n) renumbered (m) through (o) No change.
(12) through (13) No change.
(14)(a) No change.
(b) If the incoming mail is disapproved for one of the reasons listed in subsection (7), (8), or (9), paragraph (11)(a) through (l)(k) or (o)(n), subsection (12) or (13) of this rule, the institution shall make a copy of the correspondence before returning it to the sender with the Unauthorized Mail Return Receipt, Form DC2-521, included. The institution is not required to copy incoming correspondence disapproved pursuant to subsection (7) if the return address on the envelope was the reason for determining that the mail was sent from an inmate at another penal institution.
(c) through (d) No change.
(e) Form DC2-521 is hereby incorporated by reference. Copies of the form are available from the Forms Control Administrator, Office of Research, Planning and Support Services, 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2500. The effective date of this form is __________9-20-04.
(15) Incoming and outgoing routine mail shall be delivered to and picked up from the institution or facility by the U.S. Postal Service only.
(a) Addresses of incoming mail: The address of all incoming mail must contain the inmate’s committed name, identification number and institutional address. The inmate’s dorm and bunk locations are not required. All incoming mail shall contain the return address of the sender. The return address of incoming mail is subject to verification and shall be rejected if the sender cannot be verified.
(b)(15) Addresses of outgoing mail: The return address of all outgoing mail shall must contain the inmate’s committed name, identification number and institutional name and institutional address. The inmate’s dorm and bunk locations are not required in either the address of incoming mail or the return address of outgoing mail. No prefix other than inmate, Mr., Ms., Miss, or Mrs. nor any suffix other than Jr., Sr. or Roman numeral such as II or III may be included as part of the committed name in the return address. The institutional name in the return address must be spelled out completely with no abbreviations. All outgoing routine mail will be stamped “mailed from a state correctional institution” by mail room staff.
(c) Third party mailing services.
1. Inmates shall not utilize any third party mailing services or engage in any activities which would enable them to engage in correspondence without revealing their status as inmates. Examples of prohibited activities include the following:
a. Placement of ads in magazines, newspapers, or other publications;
b. Posting of ads or other information on Internet sites;
c. Use of any mailing service which allows the inmate to utilize a non-institutional address and engage in correspondence without revealing his or her status as an inmate;
d. Any activity or service which does not reveal to potential correspondents the inmate’s status as an inmate.
2. Senders shall not utilize any third party mailing services or engage in any activities which would enable them to engage in correspondence without revealing their identity or return address.
3. Any inmate who is discovered to be participating in any of the above-prohibited activities shall be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with Rules 33-601.301-.314, F.A.C.
(16) No change.
(17) No postage or writing materials shall be provided to inmates for routine mail except as provided in this subsection. Postage and writing materials shall be provided to any inmate with insufficient funds for mailing 1 one first class letter weighing 1 one ounce or less each month to be used for mailing 1 one first class letter weighing 1 one ounce or less each month. Local procedures may be established to require the inmate to request the free postage and writing materials or to establish a specific day of the month for the free letters to be processed. Postage shall also be provided to any inmate with insufficient funds for the purpose of mailing a complaint to the Florida Bar concerning ineffective assistance of counsel in the inmate’s criminal case. Inmates shall be permitted to receive U.S. postage stamps in their routine mail so long as the value of the stamps does not exceed the equivalent of 20 (1 oz.) first class stamps. Inmates may not possess more than the maximum number of stamps permitted by Rule 33-602.201, F.A.C. Due care shall be exercised in processing mail, however, the department shall not be responsible for any postage stamps sent through the mail.
(18) through (19) No change.
(20) No packaging other than standard envelopes shall be given to inmates. This includes removing the following types of packaging: boxes, padded envelopes, plastic bags, any envelopes that include metal parts, multi-layer packaging, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, etc. Inmates shall not be permitted to receive routine mail in padded envelopes.
(21) through (22) No change.
Specific Authority 944.09 FS. Law Implemented 20.315, 944.09 FS. History–New 10-8-76, Amended 10-11-77, 4-19-79, 11-19-81, 3-12-84, 10-15-84, Formerly 33-3.04, Amended 7-8-86, 9-4-88, 3-9-89, 9-1-93, 9-30-96, 5-25-97, 6-1-97, 10-7-97, 5-10-98, Formerly 33-3.004, Amended 12-20-99, Formerly 33-602.401, Amended 12-4-02, 8-5-03, 10-27-03, 9-20-04, 3-23-08,_________.