Letters to inmates — rules, tips and addressing

For someone deprived of their liberty, a physical letter is rarely "just a letter." It's proof that someone outside the walls is still thinking of them, written with time and care. Phone calls are short and often monitored, visits are rare and require planning — but a letter can be read again and again, kept in the cell, and taken out on hard days. Many former inmates describe letters as exactly what kept them going mentally during their sentence.

That's why the form matters too. A handwritten letter, or one that's neatly printed and personally worded, carries more weight than a hasty text-like message would have — if texting were even allowed, which it usually isn't.

The Prison and Probation Service has the right to inspect letters sent to and from prisons and remand centres, for security reasons. Rules can vary slightly between facilities depending on security classification, but certain principles apply generally.

What you can send

• Ordinary letters and cards in paper form.
• Photos, in most cases, though it's worth checking with the specific facility first, as some have restrictions on the number or content of images.
• Handwritten or digitally written and printed letters — both work; what matters is the content and that it arrives in paper form.

What often gets stopped or checked

• Enclosures containing metal, glitter, stickers, or strongly scented paper are often stopped right at the scanning stage.
• Money, bank cards, or other items of value must never be sent by ordinary post to an inmate.
• Content that encourages crime, contains threats, or includes detailed information about security routines at the facility can result in the whole letter being confiscated.
• Some facilities open and read post as routine, others do spot checks. Always assume the letter may be read by staff.

Precisely because post is inspected, it's wise to keep a tone that's personal but not overly private in details you absolutely don't want anyone else to read. Write as though you know someone else might look inside the envelope — because they might.

Addressing — how to find the right facility

The most common mistake is an incorrect or incomplete address, which can cause the letter to be returned or significantly delayed. To address it correctly, you need:

• The inmate's full name.
• If possible, their personal ID number (personnummer), which helps the facility sort post to the right person internally, especially if several inmates share the same or similar names.
• The full name and postal address of the prison or remand centre — not just the name of the town. The Prison and Probation Service's website lists all facilities with the correct postal address, and it's worth five minutes of research before sending your letter.
• Any department or wing designation if you know it, which can speed up internal distribution at larger facilities.

Write the address clearly and completely on the envelope, ideally in the order the facility specifies on its own page. An incomplete address is the most common reason letters to inmates are delayed or never arrive.

Writing to someone in this situation is different from other letters. The person has limited access to the outside world, often plenty of time to think, and may lack everyday points of reference that you take for granted.

Topics that work well

• Everyday details from the outside — what's happening with family, friends, in the neighbourhood. Things that might seem trivial are often golden for someone cut off from everyday life.
• Concrete plans for release or leave, if any exist, giving something to look forward to.
• Encouragement that's honest rather than superficially comforting — avoid clichés and instead write specifically about what you actually feel and hope for.
• Questions that show you care about the person's daily life inside — what their days look like, what they're reading or occupying themselves with.

What to avoid

• Detailed criticism or settling of scores about what led to the situation — save that conversation for a phone call or visit if it's needed at all.
• Promises you can't be sure you'll keep, since waiting amplifies disappointment if plans change.
• Overly private or sensitive information you wouldn't want a third party to potentially read during inspection.

A good rule of thumb is to write as though you're telling a close friend who's on a long journey — warm, concrete, present, but without anything you wouldn't want to share with an unknown reader.

Beyond the content itself, there are a few practical details that increase the chances of the letter arriving quickly and without complications:

• Write the sender's address clearly on the back of the envelope — some facilities require this in order to deliver post at all.
• Avoid thick envelopes with lots of enclosures, as they take longer to inspect and risk getting held up in checks.
• Send one photo at a time rather than a whole batch, if you want to include images.
• Double-check the spelling of the facility's name — "remand centre" and "prison" aren't interchangeable, and the wrong term can delay processing.

If you're unsure how to phrase things, it may also be worth reading our guide on writing a handwritten letter online for inspiration on tone and structure, even though its purpose is different.

Many people writing to an inmate don't always have access to a printer, envelopes, and stamps at home, or simply want to skip queuing at the post office. With Posta Brev you write the letter directly in your browser, and we print it, put it in an envelope, and send it via PostNord to the correct facility address. You can skip handwriting if you prefer clear, typed text, and you never need to hunt down stamps or a postbox.

The service works just like when you want to send a letter to anyone else — you write the text, enter the recipient's full address including the facility's name, and we take care of the rest. Check current prices at /priser before sending, so you know exactly what it will cost depending on the length of your letter.

Letters aren't the only channel, but they're often the most lasting. A card with a simple greeting works well between longer letters, much like a thank-you letter or congratulations letter works as a complement to bigger life events. If you're writing around a holiday like Christmas, a Christmas letter can also be a lovely way to convey warmth without the tone becoming too heavy.

If what you actually need to send is an official document rather than a personal letter — for example, correspondence related to Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) or another official letter — that's a different process with different requirements for content and addressing, and it's worth keeping separate from the personal letter to your loved one.