CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - As Christmas approaches, many families are writing letters to Santa, but the Ripple Effect program in Champaign is writing letters to those who are incarcerated.

"Sometimes this mail is all they get; it's a lifeline sometimes. Sometimes, they get it just when they need those encouraging words," said Annette Douglas, coordinator of Ripple Effect.

The Illinois Department of Corrections has a new mail scanning policy aimed at preventing contraband from entering prisons. Douglas's son is incarcerated.

"They're going to, just scan the mail and send it through their tablet, and it would only be there for maybe six months, and then it's going to be erased," Douglas said.

Among the mail being digitized, IDOC prohibits mail that includes crayon, glitter, or other cr

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