The postage of a letter written by a blind person must be paid on an unopened letter, regardless of whether it has been opened or not. Letters must be printed in raised characters or a sight-saving type size of fourteen points or greater. Sound recordings also require a postage stamp. Any shipping materials that are empty must bear the appropriate postage. The following are the laws governing postage of letters to blind people. Listed below are some of the most important postal matters to consider when sending a letter.
Offences involving fraudulently or by means of a false pretence
An offence of receiving goods or services fraudulently is a violation of the law, and it can be classified as either a Class 1 misdemeanor or a Class 6 felony. It may also involve a person receiving value knowing that they have obtained it fraudulently. The penalties for this offence are quite severe. Depending on the amount of value of the goods and services, a person can be punished as a Class 1 misdemeanor or a Class 6 felony.
One example of this is when a person affixes a forged signature to an item. To commit this offence, the person must either obtain permission from the person who signed the writing, or create a false impression that the item was signed by the person. It may also include possession of a forged coin or the intent to defraud someone by posing as the owner of the item.
It is an offence to steal money or a gift certificate by simulating a legal document. A person who steals public money by obtaining a small business loan is also guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. If a person is convicted of a crime related to obtaining public money, they will be sentenced to jail time.
Postage on letters written by the blind
For example, a letter to a blind person should not have postage stamps. The term cecogram comes from the French word “cecogramme,” which means “blind letter.” Braille books are larger than the average ink book, so they do not require stamps. The picture above shows two versions of the same book, the bottom one printed in braille characters and the top one using Latin characters. Regardless of which version is used, all cecograms should carry a label with a globally recognized cecogram.
In 1899, Congress passed an act that would provide a subsidy for letterpost addressed to blind people. It allowed these letters to be sent to others at third-class postage rates. Five years later, a program called Free Matter for the Blind (FMFB) was created to provide funding to organizations that mailed braille materials, including libraries for the blind. Over the years, P.L. 91-375 has made these programs more accessible to the blind.
To qualify for free mail, a blind person must be an American citizen domiciled abroad or in the United States. This includes the District of Columbia. The blind person must be legally blind and have 20/200 or less vision in their better eye, or a visual field that is 20 degrees or larger. In addition, the person must be legally blind and use a corrective lens. If the recipient is not blind, the letter must be sent by an organization that serves the blind.
Offences involving telecommunications and postal services
Offences against the postal service or telecommunications companies can range from breaking and entering to destroying property. Offences against postal services include destroying property, using the services in an unlawful manner and attempting to rob a custodian of property, money or mail. This offense may also involve threatening communications, involving actual or simulated weapons of mass destruction, dangerous chemicals or biological materials.
Those who are charged with an offence against the postal service or telecommunications sector can be rewarded for information leading to conviction. The investigation is conducted by the Postal Inspection Service. Information regarding a violation should be reported to the nearest Postal Inspector. Applicants must submit written reward applications within six months of the offender’s conviction, formally deferred prosecution or death, if applicable.
In some cases, local courts can provide sufficient relief for victims of physical assaults against postal employees. Depending on the severity of the assault, a postal inspector may decide to present the case to the United States Attorney’s Office for prosecution. Physical assaults and obstructions may significantly impair the efficient operation of the postal inspector’s office. As such, the United States Attorney’s Office will not accept such a case unless a deficiency in the local court remedy is evident.