For Your Information about TDCJ

TDCJ DOES allow you to send books to your loved one.  Check the guidelines and there is a list of banned books.  Generally books that might have sexual or naked pictures, might describe an escape attempt, or describe how to make a wick from a tv wire will be banned.

https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/divisions/cid/mgmt_ops_mscp.html

Can I send books if I am not an approved visitor?

Yes. Anyone can send books, even if they are not an approved visitor or approved for phone calls.

Books must come from a publisher or bookstore

You cannot buy a book, put it in a box and send it. The book must come directly from the publisher. For example, you can send from Amazon to the unit.

Other people have mentioned thrift books, free bird books ,and Hamilton books as good sources.

Hardcover and Used Books are OK

Unlike many county jails, it is ok to send hardcover or used books. The main criteria is that the book come directly from a 3rd party.

Send books to the Unit Address

Do not send books to the Dallas address. There is an address in Dallas for sending handwritten letters that you do not want to use. Send books directly to the prison address where your loved one is.

The address to use is

FirstName LastName TDCJ#

Unit Name

Unit Address

City, TX zip

Unit addresses are here: https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/unit_directory/unit_information.html

What if I accidentally sent a book to the Dallas address?

It seems those books are gone. You can check if Amazon gave you a credit if it is returned, but the mail room in Dallas will not return books to you.

Newspapers & Magazines

Magazine and Newspaper subscriptions are permitted. Newspapers are not provided in the pods You can send him a daily newspaper, but they will not receive it the same day and may receive multiple days worth of papers on the same day.

You may want to wait until your LO goes to his permanent unit to start a magazine subscription.

How many books can I send?

There is not a limit to the number of books they can receive, but they can only keep what will fit in their storage area, which is the size of a medium sized moving box. Keeping 4-5 books is a reasonable number imo.

Can I send puzzle books?

Yes. Send word search books, sudoku, crossword, coloring books or whatever your LO likes. Do not send books with stickers, holograms, or anything other than regular paper pages. Calendars are allowed.

Banned books

TDCJ banned book list

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_RivPGCFczUSAPXD0sA5RW3R9NdjsMF7CTva7mok6RI/edit?gid=0#gid=0

The guide to prison or prison cookbooks need to free from illegal descriptions. A prison cookbook describing how to make fire will be banned, or a book describing an escape attempt will be banned. They don’t allow books with explicit images, description of a rape scene, detailed maps of Texas etc