Case Study: Louisville Metro Corrections

Challenge: An Epidemic of Deadly Threats Hidden in Mail

Contraband drugs were being smuggled into the facility through seemingly innocent letters and legal documents. Inmates and outside collaborators exploited both personal and legal mail, the latter protected by attorney-client privilege, to introduce narcotics into the jail. The result was a dramatic increase in overdoses and fatalities, causing alarm among agency leaders and the community, and putting staff at risk of accidental exposure.

In 2024, there were 700 documented contraband smuggling attempts-up from 250 the previous year-highlighting the growing challenge of keeping dangerous items out of the facility.

"We were seeing overdoses daily," "When you were getting ready for work and going in, it wasn’t a matter of if you were gonna deal with an overdose, it was when and how many." Daniel Johnson, president of LMDC's FOP Lodge 77

To address this crisis, Louisville Metro Department of Corrections partnered with Smart Communications to implement the patented MailGuard® system. All inmate mail was redirected to a secure, offsite processing center, where it was converted into high-definition digital images using advanced scanning technology. These digital copies were then delivered electronically to inmates on secure tablets and kiosks, eliminating the risk of physical contraband entering the facility.

Recognizing that legal mail was also being exploited, Smart Communications introduced MailGuardLegal™. This innovative system enabled secure, encrypted processing of legal correspondence. Inmates could access their legal mail under staff supervision, with the entire process recorded to ensure procedural integrity. A robust identity verification process weeded out fraudulent legal representatives, upholding both security and constitutional rights.

Our patented solutions:

• Completely eliminates drug-smuggling from mail

• Protection from dangerous exposures to officers and staff

• Significant budget savings from manually sorting mail, allocating resources by assigning officers to core duties

• Protects facility from exposure risks, and inmates from overdoses

• Significant improvement in inmate behavior, reducing jail incidents and violence

• Eliminates bad actors posing as attorney's sending fraudulent legal mail

• Digital delivery options, protecting atty/client privilege

Solutions: MailGuard® & MailGuardLegal™ Digitally Secure, Contraband-Free Inmate Mail

We transformed Louisville Corrections mail management, while setting a new agency standard for safe, secure, and efficient inmate communications. By eliminating physical mail as a contraband vector and digitizing the entire process protects staff, inmates, and the integrity of facility operations.

Results: 100% Elimination of Dangerous Substances in Inmate Mail

About us

Smart Communications is the industry leader in secure, digital inmate communications and mail management. Our patented solutions help hundreds of agencies nationwide eliminate contraband, improve safety, and modernize operations. We are committed to continuous innovation, empowering correctional facilities to set new standards in security and efficiency.