A Step-By-Step Guide to Send Books and Magazines to Inmates Through Amazon in 2023

Did you know that you can actually send your incarcerated loved ones some great books or magazines to read? Yes, that right. Amazon has made it possible and easy to do just that. In this post, we will teach you how to send books and magazines to inmates via Amazon.

With the radical changes taking place in correctional facilities in the U.S, inmates now have access to a number of accommodations. Therapeutic centers, educational opportunities, and recreational facilities are just a few. Now, Amazon has made it easier for its customers to send books and magazines to inmates in different prisons across the country.

You can make this happen by simply entering the inmate's number and prison unit on the order page while shopping on Amazon. However, as you can imagine, there are certain requirements with regard to the types of Books and Magazines that can be sent to inmates. Learn more in this post….

Table Of Contents

Can You Send Books and Magazines to Inmates Through Amazon in 2023?

Yes, you can send books and magazines to inmates via Amazon. Only the books or magazines must meet certain minimum requirements before they can be accepted as fit for our prisoners.

For instance, they must not contain depictions of sexual content, violence, racism, or any other element that might be a trigger for those incarcerated. If you are not sure of the type of books or magazines that can be sent to prisoners through Amazon, it will suffice to go through Amazon’s policy for sending packages to prisoners.

How to Send Books and Magazines to Inmates from Amazon

Sending packages to inmates is not easy because it comes with a lot of dos and don’ts. And rightly so, if not regulated, some people can easily send packages with items that are not accepted within our correction facilities. As such Amazon has outlined certain rules and regulations with regard to sending books and magazines to prisoners.

Here are the steps to get it done:

Step 1: Start by logging in to your Amazon account, then head over to the Order

Step 2: While placing your order, enter the Full name of the inmate, the Inmates Unit Number, and their Inmate Number.

Step 3: Next, you’ll need to provide details of the prison. Do that by entering the Address, City, and State of the Correctional Facility.

Step 4: Remember to check the box for “Gift” else, the package’s recipient (the inmate) will need to pay a fee to get the package.

Step 5: Finish by choosing a delivery option and then select Place Order. Just like that, your Books and/or magazines are all ready and set for shipping to the inmate in your selected prison.

If you are unsure of the exact location or facility where the targeted inmate is incarcerated, you may want to verify all that beforehand. Alternatively, you can make use of search platforms such as DoNotPayb, though you will need to have certain details about the inmate, such as their Full Name, ID, and/ or Unit number.

Something else to bear in mind is that you can buy books or magazines on Amazon or any third-party sellers and send them to inmates via Amazon. Only be sure that the packages meet all the requirements as stipulated in Amazon’s policy for sending packages to inmates.

What is Amazon's Policy for Sending Books and Magazines to Inmates?

When you're sending books and magazines to inmates, you'll want to make sure you follow Amazon's rules for packaging.

When it comes to sending books and magazines to inmates, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. First, you need to do your due diligence and contact the prison facility where the person is jailed to be sure whether or not they accept Amazon packages to prisoners. Some incarceration centers do not accept any forms of packages for prisoners.

Also, note that Amazon will make sure that there are no special instructions outside your package. So if you were even considering passing some info to the inmate on the outside of the package alongside the books and magazines, that’s not going to happen.

On the outside of packages to inmates in prison, Amazon includes their name, the facility's address, and the return address only.

What Types of Books and Magazines Can You Send to Prisoners?

When it comes to sending books to prisoners, it’s important to take time to familiarize yourself with the types that are accepted at the facilities. Here’s a quick rundown of the nature of books and magazines that can be sent to inmates via Amazon:

The books or magazines must:

Be sent to the correction facility by USPS
Not be sent anonymously
Be addressed to a particular inmate with a specified Inmate ID
Be brandy
Not be more than 3 per package.
Only have paperbacks only. Hardcover books may be used as weapons against other inmates
Not contain any explicit depictions of sex, violence, racism, or gang-related behavior.

If you aren’t conversant with the types of books or magazines to send to incarcerated loved ones, here’s a quick summary of types to consider:

Books:

Self-help/self-improvement books (e.g., The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People)
Science and nature (e.g., Universe Sandbox)
Sudoku and crossword puzzles (e.g., The New York Times Crossword Puzzle)

Magazines:

Newsweek and TIME magazines, but not tabloids like the National Enquirer or Weekly World News

How to Locate an Inmate to Send Magazines and Books

If you're looking to send magazines and books to an inmate, the first thing you'll need to do is locate the prison where they are being held.

You can usually find this information by contacting the prison directly. Usually, to send a package to an inmate via Amazon, you only need to have the prisoner’s inmate ID or Unit Number and the Address of the prison facility.

If you aren’t sure of the exact location and address of the prison facility where they are being held, you can use a search engine like DoNotPay to find it. Remember, you’ll need to have the inmate’s full name and Inmate ID or Unit Number before you can find the address of the facility.

Conclusion

Sending books and magazines to inmates via Amazon is a great way to help them pass the time while serving their time at the correction facility. With Amazon, some incarnation centers allow inmates to receive books and magazines. Only be sure that the type of content in those books or magazines meets the legal and regulatory requirements outlined by Amazon and the particular prison facility.