What You Can and Can't Mail to Someone at FMC Butner

Most everyday letters count as general mail. At FMC Butner, staff open and inspect all general mail. They're checking for contraband and anything that could threaten the security or good order of the institution. Don't expect your letter to arrive sealed and untouched.

Some mail qualifies as special mail when it's properly marked. Special incoming mail can only be opened in the inmate's presence, but that doesn't mean it's hands-off. Staff still inspect it for physical contraband and can check whether the contents actually qualify as special mail.

Packages are where people lose the most time and money. At FMC Butner, an inmate cannot receive packages from home unless there is prior written approval from the inmate's unit team or another authorized staff member. Mail a box without that approval and it can be refused or sent back.

• ✓ Release clothing
• ✓ Authorized medical devices

For hardcover books and newspapers, the source matters as much as the content. Because FMC Butner is an administrative institution, hardcover publications and newspapers must come directly from the publisher, a book club, or a bookstore. A hardcover you mail yourself, even brand new, won't be accepted.

Softcover items follow the same rule. At administrative institutions like FMC Butner, softcover publications (paperback books, magazine issues, clippings) are only allowed if they come from the publisher, a book club, or a bookstore. Your safest bet: order from a qualifying seller and have them ship it directly. Don't repackage anything at home.

If a publication is rejected, the Warden must notify the sender and explain the next step. That notice should tell the publisher or sender they can request an independent review by writing to the Regional Director. There's a deadline: the request must be made within 20 days of receiving the rejection letter.

1. Watch for a return with paperwork attached. If mailroom staff determine a publication is non-distributable, they return it to the sender or publisher with an appropriate notification attachment.
2. Know what happens if it is kept as prohibited. When material is retained as prohibited, one copy of the retained item is kept for appeal purposes.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Confirm the inmate is housed at an administrative institution and, if you are unsure, verify the inmate’s security level before ordering reading material.
• ✓ Order books, magazines, and other publications so they ship directly from the publisher, a book club, or a bookstore (don’t mail your own copies).
• ✓ Treat “paperback” as a publication with the same source restrictions here. Don’t assume softcover items can come from home just because they are not hardcover.