This is one of the most common sources of confusion for families trying to send books and the inconsistency you experienced is real. Here is exactly why it happens. Correctional facilities require that books be sent directly from the publisher or an approved retailer. The reasoning is straightforward — a book coming directly from a verified source is far less likely to contain contraband than one that has passed through unknown hands. Amazon operates in two completely different ways depending on which...

Being paroled means you are released from incarceration before completing your full sentence but you are not fully free. You are serving the remainder of your sentence in the community under supervision and the conditions of that supervision are strict and non-negotiable. Upon release you are assigned a parole officer who is responsible for monitoring your compliance with the terms of your parole. That relationship is one of the most important you will have during this period. Your parole officer has...

The short answer is no. Sending a physical letter always involves some cost whether you send it yourself or through a service like InmateAid. If you send a letter on your own you need paper, an envelope, and a stamp. First class postage currently costs around $0.68 per ounce. That is the minimum cost of sending any letter through the United States Postal Service regardless of where the facility is located. If you send through InmateAid the cost is part of a...

InmateAid does not currently offer food or clothing purchases for inmates in Minnesota or any other state. Here is why and what your options are. Food and clothing for inmates in Minnesota correctional facilities are handled through the facility's commissary system. Your loved one can purchase approved food items, clothing, and personal care products directly through their facility's commissary account. The best thing you can do from the outside is make sure they have money available to spend. InmateAid's Send Money...

Yes. InmateAid delivers to Rush City Minnesota and to correctional facilities across the entire United States. Rush City is home to the Minnesota Correctional Facility Rush City, a maximum security state prison operated by the Minnesota Department of Corrections. InmateAid's letter, photo, postcard, magazine, and book services are all available for inmates housed there. To get started simply create an account on InmateAid, select your inmate's facility, and choose the service you would like to send. Everything is handled from your phone...

Phone access hours depend on what type of facility your loved one is housed in. Here are the general guidelines for each system. Federal facilities typically have phone access available from 6:00 AM to 9:30 PM. These hours are relatively consistent across federal institutions though individual housing unit schedules may vary slightly depending on programming and meal times. State prisons generally operate phone access from around 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. State systems vary more than federal so confirming the specific hours...

The length of time an inmate spends in the Special Housing Unit, commonly called the hole or the SHU, depends almost entirely on what was found and how serious the facility considers the infraction. At the minor end of the spectrum a small infraction might result in a week or two in the SHU followed by the loss of certain privileges like visitation, phone access, or commissary for a set period. These situations are unpleasant but manageable and the inmate typically...

Yes. Money deposited through approved services like JPay, Access Corrections, MoneyGram, or similar platforms goes into a single inmate trust account. From there your inmate can allocate those funds however they need including commissary purchases, phone time, tablet messaging, and other approved expenses. The inmate controls how their account balance is distributed. If they need phone time they can move funds from their trust account to their phone account through the facility's phone system or kiosk. If they need commissary items...

In most cases you cannot purchase clothing, shoes, or personal care items directly and send them to your inmate. The good news is that in most facilities your inmate can purchase these things themselves through the commissary — as long as they have money on their account. In federal facilities the commissary offers a reasonable range of options. Inmates can typically purchase sweatpants, shorts, premium underwear, sneakers, and work boots in addition to basic toiletries, hygiene products, and personal care items....

Sudden unexplained silence from an incarcerated loved one is one of the most frightening experiences a family goes through. Two weeks of no contact is long enough that something has almost certainly changed in their situation. Here is an honest breakdown of the most likely explanations. The SHU The most common reason for sudden complete silence is placement in the Special Housing Unit. The SHU is a segregated area within the facility used for disciplinary purposes, protective custody, or administrative holds. Inmates...