When do inmates receive books from Amazon

When books are shipped from Amazon directly to a prison, they first go through the mailroom for inspection. Staff check all incoming packages for contraband and to make sure they meet the facility’s rules, such as coming from an approved vendor.

If the books arrived on a Friday, they may not be processed until the next business day, depending on staffing and workload. Most prison mailrooms operate Monday through Friday, so anything received late in the week often carries over.

Once approved, books are usually delivered at the next scheduled mail call. In many facilities, that means the inmate could receive them within a few days, but it can take longer if:

• The mailroom is backed up
• There are weekends or holidays involved
• The package requires additional review

A typical timeframe is 1 to 5 business days after delivery, though some facilities may take a bit longer.

As long as the books meet the rules and were sent directly from Amazon or another approved retailer, they should be delivered without issue.