Why you can’t send quarterly packages directly to someone at Deuel — and who to contact about vendor packages

If your loved one is at Deuel Vocational Institution, you can't mail them a quarterly package yourself. CDCR doesn't allow family members to send these packages directly to people in California state prisons - Deuel included.

Quarterly packages for Deuel go through CDCR-approved private vendors. Instead of boxing items up at home and shipping them to the prison, you order through one of these vendors, and they handle delivery. One thing to know: vendors can't just decide to start offering quarterly packages to Deuel. CDCR requires approval before any vendor can provide services to the institution, so stick with vendors specifically listed as authorized for this program.

"CDCR-approved" sounds official, but CDCR is clear about what that label actually means. The department isn't affiliated with these independent vendors. It doesn't guarantee they'll fulfill orders, perform well, stay in business, or deliver quality products. Bottom line: buying a quarterly package through an approved vendor is still a direct purchase from that company. CDCR treats it as your responsibility and won't step in for product issues or disputes.

Restitution is another reason families go the vendor route. Money you send directly to someone at Deuel is still subject to court-ordered restitution. Vendor purchases work differently. When you buy a quarterly package directly from an approved vendor, CDCR says families aren't impacted by the incarcerated person's restitution orders for that purchase.

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• ✓ Quarterly Package Vendor inquiries (how to become a vendor): Victor.Espinoza@cdcr.ca.gov (Lt. Victor Espinoza)
• ✓ Incarcerated Persons Religious Vendor Package Program: m_DAIReligiousPOU@cdcr.ca.gov