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How to Send an Inmate a Care Package

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Are you among those who have relatives or friends incarcerated in U.S. prisons or jails? Have you tried different options to send them basic needs while behind bars but are looking for better alternatives? Then this article is for you.

Did you know that you can send prisoners something called a care package? You may be asking what a care package is, what items you can include in a care package and how you can send one.

This article will answer these questions and also serve as a guide on how to send care packages to inmates.

The write-up will also acquaint you with the current rules and regulations concerning people sending goods and money to incarcerated individuals in the United States prisons and jails.

Check this article from lookupinmate to get more information about inmate packages in the United States. You can also request inmate records from the said site, get the contact information of facilities in each state, and reconnect with your incarcerated loved ones.

Sending a Care Package to an Inmate

Correctional institutions in the United States have rules and regulations when sending items to inmates, which may differ from state to state. So, contacting the correctional facility first before attempting to send a package is necessary.

The most common way to send packages to inmates is through third-party companies accredited by the intended prison or jail. These vendors can help you send items.

The main reason families and relatives can’t send items directly to prisons is to prevent the entry of contraband goods like drugs and weapons. Correctional facilities direct families to online catalogs of care package companies and use their services to send items to inmates.

Examples of companies that offer inmate package services are ICaregifts, Access Securepak, Union Supply Direct, and Inmate Care Packages. These companies work alongside the prison authorities to provide the package delivery service for an inmate’s relative or friend.

You should contact these third-party vendors and see their options about care packages. Some companies offer subscription packages that they automatically send at a specific time of the year. You can also make special orders and include only the items you can give to an inmate.

When you plan to send a care package, you need to know the inmate’s ID number and the prison address. You can search for this information on sites like LookUpInmate.org, where you can request inmate records and contact information of prisons and jails in the United States.

Once you get that information, you can place an order, and the care package vendor will send the parcel to the prison. Your package will then go through the procedures in prisons when dealing with packages then delivered to the inmate.

What Is a Care Package?

The prisoner care package is a bundle of services for inmates inside correctional facilities in the United States. It is a package that has a selection of goods enjoyed by inmates.

Care package programs have bundles of phones and commissary. Providers of these packages have contracts with the correctional facility. You’ll need to coordinate with third-party providers to send these packages.

Correctional facilities and prisons regulate packages, and jail usually doesn’t allow people to give anything to inmates directly.

Items That Can Be Included in a Care Package

Aside from the regulations to monitor inmate packages, you can only send approved items to people behind bars.

You should always check with the correctional facility to know the items you can give to inmates. But, in most cases, here are the typical items allowed in care packages for inmates.

  • Letters
  • Photos
  • Newspaper clippings
  • Paperback books
  • Clothes for hearings

Here are items that some facilities don’t allow

  • Magazines
  • Snacks
  • Personal hygiene products
  • Jewelry

Prohibited items or contraband

  • Pens
  • Cigarettes
  • razors
  • Hardcover books
  • Any item that is a potential weapon

Can You Send Money?

You can only send money to inmates through a commissary, a store inside a prison where inmates can buy stuff they need. For inmates to buy items, they need to have a commissary account created by the family or relative sending the money.

Through commissaries, inmates can buy clothing, shoes, food, soap, shavers, shampoo, and snacks. Aside from these, some commissaries sell books, radios, cards, and materials needed for correspondence, such as paper, stamps, and envelopes.

There are three ways to fund a commissary account. The first is for an inmate to work inside the prison and earn wages to fund the account. Some institutions provide work for prisoners, especially private prisons with companies that may provide work to inmates.

The second way is if an inmate has a trust fund, inheritance, or settlement, where the money goes directly to the commissary account for the inmate’s personal use.

Lastly, friends and family may fund the commissary accounts through money orders or other money transfer options provided by the correctional facility.

Now that you know how care packages work, you can provide your loved ones behind bars the care they need in times where it is needed the most. A part of the rehabilitation process is showing your incarcerated loved ones that you are still there for them. And to patiently work with them to go through this corrective phase in their lives.

References

1.The Big Business of Prisoner Care Packages
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2017/12/21/the-big-business-of-prisoner-care-packages

2. How to Send an Inmate a Care Package
https://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/how-to-send-an-inmate-a-care-package/

3. Care Package
https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/care-package

About the author

Saman Iqbal

Saman is a law student. She enjoys writing about tech, politics and the world in general. She's an avid reader and writes fictional prose in her free time.







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