Why Your Package Was Rejected: FDC Houston's Mail and Package Rules (Books, Magazines, and Packages)

At FDC Houston, inmates generally can't receive packages from home unless they have prior written approval from the unit team or another authorized staff member. That approval step is where most people get tripped up. Even if the item itself is harmless, a package sent without authorization gets refused because it skipped the required process.

• ✓ Release clothing
• ✓ Authorized medical devices

Books and magazines have their own rules. Your loved one can receive magazines, hardcovers, and paperbacks - but they must ship directly from the publisher, a book club, or a bookstore. Mail a book yourself, even brand new, and it's likely treated as an unauthorized package and rejected.

This is why "where it ships from" matters so much. Packages from home aren't allowed without prior written approval, so ordering reading material directly from a publisher, book club, or bookstore is the cleanest way to avoid rejection.

Even when a publication ships from an approved source, it can still be rejected. Under BOP policy, the Warden may refuse an incoming publication only if it's deemed detrimental to the security, good order, or discipline of the institution - or if it could facilitate criminal activity. One important point: a publication can't be rejected just because staff dislike it or the content is unpopular. That alone isn't a valid reason under the rule.

In plain terms, two different paths can lead to a rejected book or magazine. The first is security-based: the Warden can reject a publication considered harmful to security, good order, or that could aid criminal activity. The second is the Ensign Amendment, which blocks distribution of commercially published materials that are sexually explicit or feature nudity. When that rule applies, the item is returned to sender and the inmate is notified.

Regular letters fall under "general mail." At FDC Houston, staff open and inspect general correspondence. They're checking for contraband and reviewing content that could threaten the security or good order of the institution.

Some correspondence qualifies as "special mail" when properly marked. If it's correctly labeled, special incoming mail may only be opened in the inmate's presence. Staff still inspect it for physical contraband, but the process differs from general mail.

Rejected Shipments Alternatives

• ✓ It was a package sent from home without prior written approval from the inmate’s unit team or authorized staff.
• ✓ The book or magazine didn’t come directly from the publisher, a book club, or a bookstore.
• ✓ The publication was considered sexually explicit or featured nudity (restricted under the Ensign Amendment).
• ✓ The publication was determined to be detrimental to security or good order, or it might facilitate criminal activity (grounds for rejection by the Warden).

1. Order books and magazines from an approved source - use the publisher, a book club, or a bookstore so the shipment meets the publications rule.
2. Avoid “from home” packages unless there’s written approval - if you send a box yourself without prior written approval from the unit team or authorized staff, it can be rejected even if the contents seem fine.
3. Use the Trust Fund/Deposit Fund route for allowed purchases - this program is designed to let inmates buy commissary items and other non-basic-care articles or services through institutional channels, instead of relying on home-shipped packages.

If the rejection involves sexually explicit or nude commercial material, the outcome under the Ensign Amendment is straightforward: the item is returned to sender and the inmate is notified. Unsure why something was refused - or think it should have been allowed? The most practical next step is having your loved one ask their unit team for clarification on the reason and what options exist going forward.