labeling books and items sent to L/O

[Craigmom]

Do the books and magazines and pictures we send to our loved ones have to have their name and IDOC # on them? I had sent 3 paperback books to my son and they were received at the prison but I don't know if he's gotten them yet. I did not put his name on these books and now I wonder if I should have?? If they're not labeled anyone could take them.  If I do have to label books and magazines do I just write it right on the cover? What about pictures? He asked me to send him a couple of the family, do they need to be labeled too? I want to send something off to him tomorrow with a letter, so if someone who knows for sure can tell me before I get them sent would be great. :)  Thanks!

[freya]

Craigmom: I send books to my LO in Menard, and write his name and number on the inside cover. Pictures, I didn't but he got them Hope this helps.

[jcruz1104]

  to IPT,

i put his number, last name and mark the phones 1 of... on photos,
sometimes i put his # and name of magazines and books,.
We havent had an issue if i do or dont..

help it helps

[Craigmom]

Thanks. Maybe I'll label them just to be safe. I don't want to right on the back of the photo's, especially in inmate number because he may want them for later and wouldn't want an inmate number scrawled on them. I know I wouldn't. I don't want to send too many books  because he's suppose to transfer to bootcamp within a couple months and won't be able to take them all with him. Magazines, he can leave behind when he transfers.

[hisbaby]

I am sure all facilities are different my l/o is in Danville, I do NOT put his name/number on books/magazines that I send, when he goes to property to pick them up they are in the original envelope that I sent them in.  But it is probably safer to put their name and # on them individually. 

[blah2u]

I don't put my l/o's info on magazines or books either that go to SWICC and he gets them just fine. It sounds like varies by each facility.

[Angela]

Everything going to a LO in the IDOC should Always have their name and ID on it.Plus if you are going to go to all the trouble sending it, why would you take the chance of not putting the information on there.

Craigmom,If I were you I would look through this site and look over the rules on sending items to LO. Good Luck.

[jdmlt]

I was told that all items need his name, # on them. This is at BMR.

[chantygirl]

I didn't use to put his info on pictures, or on books/magazines until recently.  I returned some books for him and noticed that the book company put his name and number on the front of the book.  He's in Menard btw.  I've never had a problem sending him anything (allowable) when his info wasn't on the item, and he's sent me pictures that he's had for years and they didn't have his info on them.  I always include things with a letter though, never just a book or a magazine, or a bunch of pictures.  I don't know if that's the difference or not.  But some people have had problems getting the items without the info on them, so it may be best to have duplicates of pictures made and send him the duplicates with his info on them.  That way the originals won't have the DOC# scrawled on them.

[Ira]

I don't put anything on pictures, but I do put his name and number on books and magazines. Never had a problem with anything.

[Pamalynn]

I put his name & number on the inside cover of books & magazines. I used to also mark the back side of pictures, but the ink would transfer onto the fronts of other pictures, so I no longer mark them. The place I develop them (Meijer) prints my last name on the back of each of my pictures.

Craigmom - I'm not sure if they will allow you to use labels? You may want to call the facility he's in to double-check.   

[sanders]

Everything we send my hubby we put his name and number on it... Even the newspaper and 2 magazines he gets every month that come straight to him have his name and idoc number on it

[bmonska]

no labels or stickers.

[mikenlisa]

My l/o is in Vienna and I have never put his name or number on anything I have sent him and he has gotten everything just fine. I am also guessing it varies from facility to facility.  I am kinda superstitous and I do not want to put his name on books in case he wants to leave them there when he is eventually released..the old saying goes if your name is on anything left in the inside you will one day return..not sure if true but I am not willing to take that chance...lol!!!

[Angela]

I am kinda superstitous and I do not want to put his name on books in case he wants to leave them there when he is eventually released..the old saying goes if your name is on anything left in the inside you will one day return..not sure if true but I am not willing to take that chance...!!!




That is why one puts their information on the outside/inside of the cover. Then when they are done with it they tear the front/back page off.

Plus, I just don't see why one would go to such thoughtfulness of sending their LO something then it not making it to them because their information wasn't on it. The Prisons are very over crowded and it would be very easy for them to get peoples mail mixed up with no info on it.

[mikenlisa]

Yeah I am sure you are right about getting it mixed up and I like the idea of tearing the front or back page off.  However, unitl I have issues with this I will not be putting his name or number on these items.

[hisbaby]

When I mail books/magazines his # is on the envelope, he has told me that when he goes to pick them up they are still in the envelope.  I can understand putting them on there I just never did. Now I take the magazines with me when I visit and drop them off the guard puts them in a brown sack with his information on it, I still don't put his # on the actual magazine, we never have a problem. 

[mserer]

I've mailed about 6 magazines to my bf since August & I haven't put his name or number on any of them.  Initially, this was because I didn't know that was the thing to do. Recently, I've noticed here on IPT that is the thing to do but we haven't had any problems with it.  Maybe, like so many other topics, it just depends on the location???

[Angela]

Maybe it does just depend.I was just making the statement that it one is going to go to all that trouble sending things, then why would you not put their inmate # on it? That's no biggie....what ever works for other people. I have always gone by what the rules stated that I read about sending things to the IDOC.

[mserer]

Putting a name on a magazine or book certainly makes sense now that I've thought about it! I just didn't pay attention to the rules & it did get through so luck me lol.