Reviewed on: May 05,2026

Can I Send Mail and Books to South Florida Reception Center?

While my husband is in the South Florida Reception Center in Miami, can I sent him mail and soft-covered books with his name and jail number? Then can he take them with him to where he ends up serving his time?

Asked: October 07, 2018
Author: Lora
Ask the inmate answer
1

Yes on both, but the books have a specific requirement worth knowing before you order anything.

Letters, postcards, and photos sent through USPS or through InmateAid will reach him at South Florida Reception Center the same way mail reaches any Florida DOC facility. Include his full legal name and DC number on everything and it will go through the standard mailroom inspection process before being distributed.

For books, the requirement at Florida DOC facilities, and at most correctional facilities nationally, is that books must be sent directly from a recognized retailer or publisher. They cannot be mailed from your home address. Amazon is the standard option and works reliably because the order ships directly from Amazon with a packing slip that the mailroom can verify. Soft-covered books are generally accepted where hardcovers may not be, though it is worth confirming the specific policy at South Florida Reception Center before ordering since facility policies can vary.

On whether he can take the books with him when he transfers to his permanent facility, that depends on how many items he has and the property rules at the receiving institution. Personal property travels with inmates within the Florida system, but there are limits on the quantity of books an inmate can have in their possession at any time. If he accumulates more than the facility allows, the excess either gets mailed home or disposed of. Sending one or two books at a time is a safer approach than sending a large batch at once.

South Florida Reception Center is a classification and intake facility, so his stay there is temporary. Getting mail and reading material to him now keeps him connected and mentally engaged during that transition period before he arrives at his permanent placement.

https://www.inmateaid.com/ask-the-inmate/can-i-send-mail-and-books-to-south-florida-reception-center#answer
Accepted Answer Date Created: October 08,2018
Comments
TYVM
no problem, any time