How can I responsibly send $ and items (books, music cds) to a prisoner?
January 17, 2015 8:40 PM Subscribe
I have a pen pal in Angola (Louisiana State Penitentiary) to whom I'd like to send money and items (books, cds). I've used JPay and they charge a fee, and then Angola takes 50% of the money after that. When I mail him CDs, books, they must be new and they cannot contain explicit content. Even after I followed these rules, he didn't receive a book until months after it had arrived. Has anyone written up strategies for navigating this bureaucracy? Do any mefites have personal experience with this that they're willing to share?
My defense attorney friends tell me that most prisons process books faster if they come direct from amazon (or B&N ... But mostly amazon apparently), rather than in a one-off package from you. Also paperbacks only! Inmates like magazine subscriptions because it comes in the mail, which is a bit quicker than package processing usually.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:09 PM on January 17, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:09 PM on January 17, 2015 [8 favorites]
Does the prison have a library? Do they accept donations? It's possible this would be a speedier route.
posted by feral_goldfish at 9:44 PM on January 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by feral_goldfish at 9:44 PM on January 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
I live in Louisiana and my best friend has a brother at Angola. This suprised me: 10 U.S. Prisons With Impressive Libraries
6. Main Prison Library, Angola: Angola, also called "The Farm," is the country’s largest maximum-security prison, and many of the prison staff and their families live and play on the premises, too. The Main Library was dedicated in 1968, but there are actually four other branches that serve Angola inmates as well, called Outcamp libraries. Cooperating with the State Library of Louisiana, the Angola libraries participate in an inter-library loan program.
So perhaps feral_goldfish is on to something, at least re: books.
posted by vapidave at 10:07 PM on January 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
6. Main Prison Library, Angola: Angola, also called "The Farm," is the country’s largest maximum-security prison, and many of the prison staff and their families live and play on the premises, too. The Main Library was dedicated in 1968, but there are actually four other branches that serve Angola inmates as well, called Outcamp libraries. Cooperating with the State Library of Louisiana, the Angola libraries participate in an inter-library loan program.
So perhaps feral_goldfish is on to something, at least re: books.
posted by vapidave at 10:07 PM on January 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
Can you 'fill up the supply chain'. Send him a new book every few weeks, eventually they'll start making it through and he'll get a new book every few weeks.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 10:36 PM on January 17, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Confess, Fletch at 10:36 PM on January 17, 2015 [5 favorites]
I only have some limited experience with California prisons. Books via Amazon go through, but there is often some delay of up to a week or two.
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 10:41 PM on January 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 10:41 PM on January 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
You might want to check out Prison Talk Online. Find the Louisiana forum. All the state forums have discussions particular to each prison, on subjects like mail, packages and commissary.
Over the years working in bookstores, I have shipped many packages to people in prison. Sadly, acceptance and time for processing can be really unpredictable. Books and magazines may be withheld on grounds of content or indeed for no clear reason.
Keep it up though! You're doing a great thing.
posted by BibiRose at 12:59 AM on January 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
Over the years working in bookstores, I have shipped many packages to people in prison. Sadly, acceptance and time for processing can be really unpredictable. Books and magazines may be withheld on grounds of content or indeed for no clear reason.
Keep it up though! You're doing a great thing.
posted by BibiRose at 12:59 AM on January 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
Here is a question I asked about sending books and postcards to a family member in a prison facility.
In my case, sending one book at a time via Amazon worked best (don't place 2 orders when within a few days of each other or they'll group the shipment and the prison will take longer to process it or send it back).
posted by Juliet Banana at 1:56 AM on January 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
In my case, sending one book at a time via Amazon worked best (don't place 2 orders when within a few days of each other or they'll group the shipment and the prison will take longer to process it or send it back).
posted by Juliet Banana at 1:56 AM on January 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
The problem with Amazon is that prisons usually only accept packages shipped via USPS, and Amazon gives you no way to choose the carrier. Don't waste time calling customer service, they can't do it either, no matter how much they may want to help you.
Depending on the prison, they may have other requirements, like having the book in just a paper envelope, not a box and not padded. That's another thing Amazon won't let you choose (although from what I've seen having one book shipped at a time may help).
They may also only allow them to only have a certain number of books at a time.
On the prison's website you will find what exactly they need to get the books through.
posted by Promethea at 6:37 AM on January 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Depending on the prison, they may have other requirements, like having the book in just a paper envelope, not a box and not padded. That's another thing Amazon won't let you choose (although from what I've seen having one book shipped at a time may help).
They may also only allow them to only have a certain number of books at a time.
On the prison's website you will find what exactly they need to get the books through.
posted by Promethea at 6:37 AM on January 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Can't find anything official, but this may help:
http://books2prisons.water-tank-secrets.com/louisiana/how-to-send-books-to-prisoners-at-louisiana-state-penitentiary-angola-prison/
And this looks like the mail room phone number, they will inform you better: (225) 655-4411
posted by Promethea at 6:59 AM on January 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
http://books2prisons.water-tank-secrets.com/louisiana/how-to-send-books-to-prisoners-at-louisiana-state-penitentiary-angola-prison/
And this looks like the mail room phone number, they will inform you better: (225) 655-4411
posted by Promethea at 6:59 AM on January 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
In Oregon, I was able to add money directly to an inmate's commissary account. While commissary prices are high, since his pay at his job was so low ($60 / month) and since all of his personal items (shampoo, deoderant, etc) had to come from commissary, this improved his standard of living.
Every month, I added a set amount to his account. It was a trivial amount to me, but upon his release, he let me know that it made his time more bearable.
I also provided several magazine subscriptions a year, and when he needed specific books for some training he was doing, I had those shipped directly from Amazon.
As to setting boundaries - I had an idea of about how much I was willing to contribute on an annual basis and made my decisions accordingly. But the individual I was helping was not someone inclined to take advantage of the generosity of others - so, as with all human interaction, keep in mind what you know of the other party.
I will never regret helping during his incarceration and after his release. Convicts are too often (in my opinion) judged too harshly and treated poorly.
posted by hilaryjade at 7:46 AM on January 18, 2015 [8 favorites]
Every month, I added a set amount to his account. It was a trivial amount to me, but upon his release, he let me know that it made his time more bearable.
I also provided several magazine subscriptions a year, and when he needed specific books for some training he was doing, I had those shipped directly from Amazon.
As to setting boundaries - I had an idea of about how much I was willing to contribute on an annual basis and made my decisions accordingly. But the individual I was helping was not someone inclined to take advantage of the generosity of others - so, as with all human interaction, keep in mind what you know of the other party.
I will never regret helping during his incarceration and after his release. Convicts are too often (in my opinion) judged too harshly and treated poorly.
posted by hilaryjade at 7:46 AM on January 18, 2015 [8 favorites]
Response by poster: The 50% deduction is because he owes the state some money. He mentioned this earlier, but I forgot. Oops.
I've asked him for more information about his debt and day-to-day expenses so I can set aside some money for him each month. I've also asked him if it's easy to borrow books from the library, and if there are any restrictions about what he can borrow.
Thank you everyone. There are some great ideas here.
posted by yaymukund at 12:33 PM on January 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
I've asked him for more information about his debt and day-to-day expenses so I can set aside some money for him each month. I've also asked him if it's easy to borrow books from the library, and if there are any restrictions about what he can borrow.
Thank you everyone. There are some great ideas here.
posted by yaymukund at 12:33 PM on January 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
Just wanted to add-- in Orange is the New Black there is a fair amount about how much of a boon books arriving for the author became, not just to her but to her fellow prisoners.
posted by BibiRose at 8:18 AM on January 19, 2015
posted by BibiRose at 8:18 AM on January 19, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by yaymukund at 8:47 PM on January 17, 2015 [1 favorite]