Sending Books to a Texas Inmate? You Now Have to Register Each One
TDCJ launched a Book Portal on Oct. 15. After Nov. 15, books and magazines not logged by a verified sender will not be delivered.
Families who send books to loved ones in Texas prisons have a new step. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice launched its Book Portal on Oct. 15, the agency announced. Anyone sending a book or magazine must create an account with ID.me and log each item they send.
Senders have until Nov. 15 to set up an account and start logging. After that, any book not registered to a verified user and logged in the portal will not be delivered.
Why the change
TDCJ says the goal is to stop drugs smuggled into prisons through books and magazines. The agency's book policy FAQ says contraband is often hidden in hard covers, bindings or used books, which are hard for staff and technology to detect.
In April, TDCJ stopped accepting hardback and used books, and the Windham School District took over book donations.
"Since April, we have seen a 73% decline in overdose deaths of those incarcerated in our system," TDCJ Executive Director Bobby Lumpkin said.
"The Book Portal is a major step forward in both modernization and increased safety against dangerous contraband," said Eric J.R. Nichols, chairman of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice.
The portal is modeled on TDCJ's visitation system. "If a publication tests positive for a narcotic, we will know who sent it," said Jason Clark, TDCJ's chief of programs. "Likewise, if a publication is not in the system, we will know it is from an unverified sender and it will not be delivered."
How it works
According to the FAQ, go to the Book Portal sign-in page and choose "Sign in with ID.me." Create an account or use an existing one; each person may have only one. Then add a shipment with the title, author, vendor and order date, find the inmate by TDCJ or SID number, and submit. You will get a confirmation number and can track the status.
The rules still apply: TDCJ accepts only softback books in new condition. Magazines and periodicals must also be logged. If a book does not meet the rules, the inmate has 90 days to pay postage to send it elsewhere, or it will be destroyed.
Books matter
Drugs kill people behind bars, and the agency deserves credit for a steep drop in overdose deaths. Books also matter. Scripture, study guides and good reading help men and women change their lives. Families and churches that send them should register now and not let the new step become a barrier. For more on Texas prisons, see our story on the fight over prison air conditioning.
Hero photo: WhisperToMe via Wikimedia Commons, released into the public domain, cropped and resized.
