Sending Mail and Packages to a Federal Inmate
Mail and packages are treated very differently by the BOP, and mixing them up is the single most common mistake families make.
Regular letters -- yes, straightforward
Ordinary letters and cards can be mailed directly to the facility's inmate mailing address (you'll find the correct address on every facility's page here, formatted exactly as BOP lists it). A few rules that apply almost everywhere:
- No cash or checks inside a regular letter -- funds only go through the official channels in the Money on the Books guide.
- Photos are usually fine in modest quantities, but explicit content or anything gang-related will be rejected.
- Some facilities photocopy incoming mail before delivery (to screen for contraband soaked into paper) -- if a letter looks noticeably different from what you sent, that's usually why.
Books, magazines, packages -- almost never direct from you
This is the part that surprises people: most federal facilities do not allow packages mailed directly from family, even something as simple as a paperback book. Instead:
- Books generally have to come straight from the publisher, a bookstore, or a book club -- Amazon is commonly accepted as a vendor for this reason. A copy you already own and want to mail from home usually gets rejected.
- Magazines/newspapers need to come via subscription directly from the publisher.
- Care packages (food, clothing, hygiene items) usually have to go through the facility's approved outside vendor program, not the mail at all -- you order from an approved list and it ships straight from them.
This varies by facility -- always confirm first
BOP sets baseline rules, but every facility's mailroom has its own specific policy on top of that, and it changes. Before you buy or mail anything beyond a plain letter:
- Check the specific facility's page here on InmateForum for any notes.
- Ask the inmate directly -- they'll know their unit's current mailroom rules better than any outside source.
- When in doubt, call the facility.
Sending something that isn't allowed doesn't just get it rejected -- it can also slow down or flag future mail, so it's worth the extra five minutes to check first.