Inmate Allowable Property / Packages / Accounts / Deposits

Effective March 25, 2020, Rensselaer County no longer accepts inmate property of any kind at the front window.

Inmate Money / Accounts / Deposits

Money in the form of cash may be directly deposited twenty-four (24) hours a day into an inmate's account using the automated KIOSK system located in the lobby of the Public Safety Building. NOTE: There is a transaction fee for this service.

Postal Money Orders only may be mailed directly to the facility (no-fee).

Do not mail cash or checks.

Mail Money Order To:

Inmates Name and Booking Identification Number
Rensselaer County Correctional Facility
4000 Main Street
Troy, NY 12180

Allowable Incoming Inmate Property / Packages & Preferred Vendors

New York State Minimum Standards 7025.2 Incoming Prisoner Packages part (d): states "the chief administrative officer [of any correctional facility] may require that the contents of any incoming prisoner package be purchased from, and mailed to the facility by, a company whose ordinary business includes the sale and shipping of such items…"

All inmate packages must be directly shipped to the jail from a company whose ordinary business includes the sales and shipping of such items or directly from a preferred vendor. Examples of preferred vendors include companies such as: Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Target.com or Securepak at AccessCatalog.com.

Packages arriving from any company whose ordinary business does not include the sale and shipping of such items will be returned to sender. Packages arriving without a return address will be disposed of according to our property disposal guidelines.

All incoming property will be inventoried and inspected for contraband prior to being distributed. Inmates are allowed to have only one pair of sneakers/footwear in their cell at any time. Sneakers will be exchanged on a one-for-one basis. All items must be new; a receipt/packing slip must be presented with allowable sneakers.

All inmate packages must contain approved items only and must be new and in the original packaging. Packages received not meeting the above standards, limits and requirements may be returned to sender.

Note: Packages and frequency may be limited. Please check with the inmate to coordinate. All other packages or excess unneeded items will not be stored and may be returned to sender.

Authorized Goods Only

All other items shall be considered contraband.

Please read the following carefully before placing an order, also note that these items may be purchased in Commissary or directly shipped from a vendor:

  • No other colors, stripes or logos will be accepted.
  • Up to 5 T-shirts (white)
  • Up to 5 pair of underwear (white)
  • Up to 5 pair of socks (white)
  • 1 pair of white or black shoes/sneakers - (exchange may be necessary) No metal, stripes, designs or logos - not to exceed $75
  • Up to 2 pair of long john underwear (white) tops and bottoms
  • Up to 2 brassieres no underwire (female inmates)
  • 1 sweatshirt (green) no pockets, strings, stripes, hood, or logos.
  • 1 gym shorts (green) no strings, no logos, no stripes or other colors
  • Excess items from multi-pack underwear, t-shirts and socks will be inventoried and stored in inmate property.
  • No other colors except as stated above are allowed

No Exceptions

Publications / Magazines / Soft Cover Books

Inmates will be permitted to have publications/printed material mailed direct to the facility from a company whose ordinary business includes the sales and shipping of such items or directly from a preferred vendor (Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Target.com or purchased via the commissary Securepak at AccessCatalog.com). This is the only way books and publications will be allowed into the facility.

Hard-cover books are not permitted.

Books and publications must be of "Community Standard". Books and publications must not present a "clear and present danger" to the facility, staff, inmates or the general public. (At the discretion of the Chief of Corrections, certain books and publications may be censored due to their content.) Inmates may keep a total of up to five publications, additionally periodicals must be disposed of within one month of publication date, and newspapers must be disposed of five days after being received. All personally accumulated books, papers etc. in excess of the above must be sent out in a package, released for pick-up, donated to the inmate library, discarded or destroyed.

Mail books to:

Inmates Name and Booking Identification Number
Rensselaer County Correctional Facility
4000 Main Street
Troy, NY 12180

Contraband

Is defined as: any article that is altered from its original use and/or not authorized by the Chief of Corrections or designee to be possessed within the correctional facility. An inmate found to be in possession of contraband in a correctional facility may be charged with the following:

N.Y. Penal Law 205.20 - Promoting Prison Contraband in the Second Degree:

A person is guilty of promoting prison contraband in the second degree when either:

  • He knowingly and unlawfully introduces any contraband into a detention facility.
  • Being a person confined in a detention facility, he knowingly and unlawfully makes, obtains or possesses any contraband. Promoting prison contraband in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.
    • A person found guilty of the above charge may be sentenced to up to one year in jail.

Contraband Shipped to an Inmate

contraband is defined as "any item not authorized." (see above list of authorized goods). All inmate packages are searched and examined by security staff. A package containing contraband (any unauthorized item) will be flagged and turned over to the appropriate authorities or staff member to be investigated. The entire package may be held for investigation and may be returned to sender within 90-days (pending criminal charges). Inmates receiving contraband via packages will be investigated and may be charged internally and or disciplined or charged criminally. Inmates receiving contraband may have their package privileges suspended indefinitely.

Trial Clothes

Personal clothes for the purpose of a trial may be shipped or dropped off and stored at the facility for the duration of the trial with prior administrative approval through the inmates attorney.

If an inmate is going on trial or is to appear in front of the Grand Jury, the following items may be allowed:

  • Slacks or Trousers: marked on the left side, front of the waistband
  • Suit Coat, Dress Shirt, Blouse: marked on left front, inside bottom
  • Dress: marked on left front, inside bottom
  • Dress Shoes: marked on the inside tongue of the shoes
  • Tie and Belt: marked on inside of the item

Items will not be accepted for inmates making a court appearance unless it is a trial or grand jury appearance. Inmates making court appearances will be required to wear facility issued clothing.