Daily life inside a correctional facility depends on access to basic supplies that most people on the outside take for granted. Soap, toothpaste, writing materials, postage, and food beyond the institutional menu all come from commissary or from outside sources approved by the facility. This section covers what services and supplies inmates can receive from outside, how to send approved items through the right channels, what InmateAid's suite of services covers including letters, photos, postcards, magazines, and books, and how to make sure everything you send actually reaches your loved one rather than being rejected at the mailroom. The practical guidance here is written for families who want to support their loved one's daily wellbeing and for inmates who want to understand what is available to them. Small comforts matter enormously during a long sentence and knowing how to get them to the right person efficiently makes a real difference. See also our sections on Commissary, Send Inmate Mail, and Inmate Care Packages.
Related InmateAid Services
Subject: Inmate services & supplies
No, responding to a letter does not cost him anything beyond a postage stamp, which is either provided by the facility or purchased through commissary for a small amount. That is the same cost he would incur sending any letter to anyone on the outside, and it has nothing to do with InmateAid specifically.
When you send a letter through InmateAid, the cost is covered entirely on your end when you place the order. The letter arrives at the facility as...
Read moreSubject: Inmate services & supplies
InmateAid has all of the offerings that you could possibly send an inmate in a prison or jail. Since inmates have a lot of time, reading is something you should encourage, even if reading wasn't a big part of their life on the outside. Using this time in such a way that improves their chances of successful reentry into society. We recommend "the obvious" birthday card and magazines, books, pictures of things you want him to dream about, like you :). If...
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Yes, usually there is a notary that comes to the facility once a month. The inmate must request their services in advance of them coming.
Subject: Inmate services & supplies
JPay tablets are available to inmates at Garner Correctional Institution. The rollout of tablets across facilities has happened gradually over the past few years, and Garner is among the facilities where the program is in place.
JPay tablets give inmates access to music, games, educational content, and in many facilities the ability to send and receive electronic messages through the JPay email system. The tablets are purchased by the inmate through commissary, and the cost varies. Messaging through JPay requires the...
Read moreSubject: Inmate services & supplies
Yes, and access to feminine hygiene products is treated as a basic necessity rather than a privilege in correctional facilities across the country.
For inmates who have money on their commissary account, several brands and product types are typically available for purchase. Tampons, pads, and other feminine hygiene items appear on most commissary lists and are generally priced comparably to what you would find at a grocery or drug store. Having funds on the account gives women the ability to choose...
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Tablet rollout timelines are set by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and vary by facility. The most direct way to get a current answer is to call Five Points Correctional Facility and ask to speak with the unit secretary. The number is 607-869-5111. They will have the most accurate and up to date information on where the facility stands in the tablet distribution process.
New York has been rolling out JPay tablets across its state prison...
Read moreSubject: Inmate services & supplies
Normally, these items must be purchased through the commissary.
Subject: Inmate services & supplies
You cannot send a cross necklace - but an inmate is allowed to have it. What you might be able to do is speak with a counselor or case manager and tell them your desire. They might make arrangements for you to send it to them and then they would give it to the inmate, OR check to see if you can bring it to visitation.
Also, InmateAid has a wide variety of Birthday Cards that are only $0.99 each.
Subject: Inmate services & supplies
Yes, facilities provide winter clothing for inmates during the colder months, and court appearances are covered under that same provision.
Most correctional facilities issue what is generally called a cold-weather kit or winter gear package when temperatures drop. This typically includes a jacket or coat and some form of thermal or long underwear to layer underneath the standard-issued clothing. The quality is institutional and nothing to write home about, but it serves the purpose of keeping people reasonably warm during cold...
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Officially no. California conservation camps, including Three Lakes Valley, are minimum security facilities where inmates work on fire suppression, conservation projects, and similar outdoor assignments. Internet access and social media are prohibited across all California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities regardless of security level. There is no authorized pathway for an inmate at any CDCR facility to access Facebook or send you a message through social media.
The unofficial picture is different, and conservation camps are actually more vulnerable to...
Read moreSubject: Inmate services & supplies
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...
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What you can send depends on the facility, but here is a practical rundown of the most common categories and how each one works.
Letters. Letters are accepted at virtually every jail, prison, and detention center in the country. They must be addressed with your friend's full legal name, inmate ID number, and the complete facility address. InmateAid prints and mails letters for you, or you can send them directly through the postal service.
Photos. Photos are permitted at most facilities as...
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There are no rules that require inmates to get their head shaven or even a haircut. The facility has a barber that is run by the inmates. Inmates pay for the "service" with something from commissary that amounts to a $2-3 worth of goods.
Subject: Inmate services & supplies
Unfortunately, no, and Alderson followed the rules correctly when they returned it.
Federal prisons do not accept packages from outside vendors or individuals, regardless of whether the item is sealed, commercially produced, or clearly benign. The Bureau of Prisons has strict rules about what can come in from the outside, and a photo album shipped directly to the facility falls outside those rules no matter how thoughtful the intention behind it.
The workaround is simple and it actually works out well. Put...
Read moreSubject: Inmate services & supplies
No. Electronic devices cannot be sent into any correctional facility from outside. It does not matter what type of device it is or how it is packaged. Anything electronic coming from an outside source will be rejected at the mailroom or confiscated.
What many facilities do allow is for inmates to purchase approved electronics through the commissary. Depending on the facility, this might include simple MP3 players, radios, or other approved audio devices that have been vetted by the institution. The...
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