Books Behind Bars Program

1. I would like to donate books. Can I mail the books to WriteAPrisoner.com?
2. Do I have to sign up for this program before I can donate materials?
3. What is the best way to send books?
4. Some of the organizations listed in the directory are not correctional facilities.  Why?
5. I have a loved one incarcerated in a prison that is not listed in the Books Behind Bars directory.  How do I get his/her prison listed?
6. I only have a couple of books to donate.  Should I send them?
7. I don't have any books to donate right now, but I want to help educate our country's prison population.  Is there another way I can help??
8. The prison where my loved one is incarcerated does not allow us to send books to the prisoners.  Why do I see his/her facility listed here asking for book donations?
9. I have some used textbooks I'd like to donate, but I can't find any institutions that want them.  What should I do?
10. I have some old books, but I'm worried that they are not in good enough shape to donate.  Should I send them anyway?
11. I am a publisher with multiple copes of a single title.  Will one prison accept all of these books?
12. Can I use the Books Behind Bars program to send books directly to my incarcerated loved one?

Placing Inmate Profiles on WriteAPrisoner.com

Writing Inmates

1) What is WriteAPrisoner.com?

We are a business dedicated to getting prisoners mail. Part of every dollar we make goes back into advertising to help get these people more mail. We advertise in major papers and websites around the world.

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15) Does WriteAPrisoner.com take any special precautions to provide safeguards?

Yes. We take every reasonable precaution available to help safeguard members of the public, minors, and as the inmates who use this website. For a list of safeguards, please visit: Precautionary Measures.

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16) Can I send your inmates commercial advertisements?

No. This is illegal and doing so may result in action being taken against you: Soliciting Members.

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17)  I believe that an inmate on your site is attempting to defraud the public by placing false information on his/her profile. What should I do?

WriteAPrisoner.com, Inc. maintains strict policies regarding inmates attempting to defraud the public. We ask that you waste no time in filing an official Fraud Affidavit so we can investigate your claim.

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Books Behind Bars Program

1) I would like to donate books.  Can I mail the books to WriteAPrisoner.com?

No, please do not send your books to WriteAPrisoner.com. Books and other materials need sent directly to the institution or organization listed. You can also drop books off in person to those organizations that indicate this as an option.

2) Do I have to sign up for this program before I can donate materials?

No. Simply choose an organization or institution from the directory that you would like to help, and send your books directly to them.

3) What is the best way to send the books?

The best way to send books is to mail them using the U.S. Postal Service's Media Mail or Parcel Post. These are designed for sending books and very inexpensive compared to first class rates.

4) Some of the organizations listed in the directory are not correctional facilities. Why?

There are many organizations trying to help educate inmates. We offer assistance to all of them.

5) I have a loved one incarcerated in a prison that is not listed in the Books Behind Bars directory. How do I get his/her prison listed?

Simple. Print this form and mail it to his or her correctional facility: Books Behind Bars Form

6) I only have a couple of books to donate.  Should I send them? 

Definitely! A few books in prison can go a long way.

7) I don't have any books to donate right now, but I want to help educate our country's prison population. Is there another way I can help?

Please help by spreading the word. You can print a Books Behind Bars poster to display at your local church, business, or anywhere else you like. Also, consider adding our Books Behind Bars link to your online profiles: Books Behind Bars

8) The prison where my loved on is incarcerated does not allow us to send books to the prisoners. Why do I see his/her facility listed here asking for book donations??

Books Behind Bars is set up to deal with the educational department, not the prisoners, so the same mailing restrictions do not apply.

9) I have some used text books I'd like to donate, but I can't find any institutions that want them.  What should I do?

Different organizations need different materials. Please use the search feature to match your items with an organization that needs them. If you are still unable to find an organization that is requesting the materials you wish to donate, consider emailing some of the programs directly and explain what you have. You can also place a notice on our Books Behind Bars Forum.

10) I have some old books, but I'm worried that they are not in good enough shape to donate. Should I send them anyway?

Please do not send any books you consider to be unusable. When in doubt, contact the organization you are sending them to prior to mailing.

11) I am a publisher with multiple copies of a single title. Will one prison accept all of these books?

In many cases multiple copies of a single title can be used in a prison classroom. We strongly encourage you to email the organization to which you wish to donate prior to sending these items.

12) Can I use the Books Behind Bars program to send books directly to my incarcerated loved one?

No. This program is not designed to help inmates on a one by one basis. However, donating books to books to your loved one’s facility can benefit everyone housed there.

Placing Inmate Profiles on WriteAPrisoner.com

1) What methods of payment do you accept for prisoners' profiles?

We accept checks, money orders and credit cards. See our Price List. If you would like to pay for an inmate's profile using your credit, visit our Pay Online For An Inmate's Profile page.  If you send cash, please be sure to send it certified.

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12) I know an inmate who has a profile on your site, and it is about to expire. However, the inmate was sent a profile renewal letter from another company which implies that it is from your company. What is going on?

There are some unscrupulous websites out there sending our members renewal notices with brochures almost identical to ours here at WriteAPrisoner.com. If you get one of these, please mail it to:

WriteAPrisoner.com Legal Department
P.O. Box 10-L
Edgewater, FL 32132

Then visit: www.bbb.org and file an official complaint. Filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau is an efficient process and effective way to protect inmates from sending their meager funds to an unscrupulous business.

13) I never received my confirmation e-mail from WriteAPrisoner.com. Did you send it?

Yes. WriteAPrisoner.com's server is working fine. The reason that you did not receive your e-mail confirmation is because your service provider has marked our mail as spam. If you have a "Bulk Mail" or "Spam Folder", the email should be in there. Once you find it, select it and mark it as "Not Spam". This will remove our name from your spam list, so you can receive e-mails from WriteAPrisoner.com. You can also contact your service provider directly and they can do this for you.

1) Can I e-mail a prisoner you have listed?

Yes. Most prisoners on our site have his or her own personal e-mail address where you can e-mail your first message. Once you send it to us, we will print and send it to the prisoner. Be sure to include a return postal mailing address so the prisoner can write you back. Prisoners cannot reply via e-mail.

2) What if I'm not 18, can I still write a prisoner?

No. You must be at least 18 years of age to even be viewing this website. If you are under 18, please EXIT now. Minors attempting to contact inmates via our service will be reported to their Internet provider.

3) I know someone who wants to write a prisoner but doesn't have access to the Internet. Can you help?

As long as they are over the age of 18 we can send them a list of prisoners to write along with a copy of our policies. We send out names of prisoners on our site who are having a hard time getting mail. This usually does not include women or gay and bisexual men. Please e-mail the full postal mailing address to us at: Prisoner Addresses.

4) Can I send prisoners gifts such as stamps, stationery, etc.?

If the prisoner doesn't specify in his or her profile, write and ask before sending any items. Most of them will be thrilled just to hear their name at mail call. Institution's rules vary prison to prison. It is recommended that you do not send cash or personal checks.

5) Do you have any suggestions for writing my first letter to a prisoner?

Yes, we do have a few suggestions for establishing a lasting friendship. Please read our Tips For Writing Prison Pen Pals.

6) Are there any precautions I should take when writing a prisoner?

We recommend using a P.O. Box when writing. In most cities, P.O. boxes are usually around $24.00 annually. The same precaution should be taken with anyone you don't know. Please see our Disclaimer  for any questions as to our policies for using this service.

7) I wrote a prisoner on your website but the letter was returned to me. Why did this happen?

First, check the address for typos. If everything is correct the prisoner may have changed locations without telling us, or something else could have happened. Send us the Prisoner's name, address and the reason the letter is said to have been rejected. We'll attempt to reach him or her and let you know why the letter was returned.

8) An inmate I am writing to has asked for money. Do you have any suggestions?

Institutions provide all basic necessities to inmates (e.g., food, clothing). In many cases, even educational programs and materials are free to inmates. Donating money is a decision that can only be made by you. Remember that you chose to write to an inmate, not sponsor one. You are not obligated to send money, nor do most inmates ask for money. If this makes you feel at all uncomfortable, don't do it. If the inmate is requesting a donation for something that seems unusual, please contact us before sending money and we will address any concerns you have. A few dollars can go far in prison, but you should never send large sums of money under any circumstances, nor should you ever send cash. Many pen-pals will send $10.00 or so on birthdays or holidays to the inmate they are writing. Inmates can use money in prison to purchase a variety of items including better quality hygiene products, art supplies, postage, phone cards, and food in some cases. They can also use money from their account to purchase magazine subscriptions and books. You can also ask any questions you might have on our forum. There you will find many seasoned pen-pals who are willing to share their experiences and make suggestions. The bottom line is, don't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, and report anything that you suspect as unethical or illegal.  For more information on detecting and reporting possible scams, please visit: Postal Scams.
(Note: All inmates are required to disclose whether or not they are seeking donations. This is posted on every profile in order to provide you with the most complete information possible.)

9) Why do you ask that pen pals write female inmates directly?

Most of the women on our website receive about 20 times more visitors and about 15 times more mail than any of our male inmates. Most women are already receiving a great deal of mail. If you write them directly, you have a much better chance of hearing back from them.

10) I wrote an inmate. How long do I have to wait to get a reply?

Please be patient. Institutional mail typically moves about 3-5 working days slower than normal mail. Mail is rarely lost as long as it is addressed properly. International mail can take up to one week longer for delivery.

11) I would like to write an inmate pen pal on WriteAPrisoner.com as a friend, but the inmate I want to write is only looking for romance.  Should I write them anyway?

Some inmates do place profiles on our site geared toward romance. While we strongly encourage them not to do this because it hinders their ability to get mail, we have found that most still welcome a pen pal relationship.