The San Diego Sheriff's Department offers a program that allows inmates to receive emails from family and friends. Those wishing to reach an inmate can located the inmate through the jail system online and fill in the appropriate information in order to send the emails, according to the sheriff's department.

Officials said anyone who sends an email to an inmate should expect it to be read by jail staff. The emails will be scanned for prohibited information before they are printed out and delivered to the inmate. Individuals are limited to two messages per day and may not send any confidential or legal information in correspondence. The sheriff's department also said messages must be no longer than a page long and cannot contain photos or any other attachments.

When sending an email, expect the return message to be sent via postal mail as inmates cannot use the electronic response system. The department said inmates will generally receive the message the day after the email is sent and has been examined by jail officials.

Inmates previously received messages from loved ones through the postal service, by way of visits or through weekly phone calls.

The Ventura County Star reported a similar email program would be launched at the Ventura County Jail Linda Oksner of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department said they decided to begin an email program after learning about the success of the program at San Diego jails.

“It's worked very well for them,” she said, according to the Ventura County Star.