Sending Books and Magazines to Someone at Joliet Treatment Center After September 30, 2025

Starting September 30, 2025, all publications sent to individuals at Joliet Treatment Center must come directly from a publisher. Books, magazines, newspapers - they need to ship straight from an approved source, not from you. This also affects in-person visits. After that date, you can't drop off publications for someone during a visit, even if you're already there.

IDOC defines "publisher" broadly, which works in your favor. It's not just traditional publishing houses. A publisher can be a bookstore, book club, or distributor of books, magazines, or newspapers. Religious organizations, ministries, educational institutions, and government agencies that ship publications also qualify. The key requirement: the item ships directly from one of these sources - not packed up and mailed by a friend or family member.

A few exceptions exist. The "must come from a publisher" rule doesn't apply to materials received for programs under the Office of Adult Education and Vocational Services. The same goes for materials supporting other approved programs, the facility library, or religious programs at Joliet Treatment Center.

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• ✓ Order books or subscriptions so they ship directly from a qualifying “publisher” (as IDOC defines it), not from your home.
• ✓ Don’t plan to bring books, magazines, or other publications to drop off during a visit after September 30, 2025.
• ✓ If you’re sending something right around the changeover, pay attention to the postmark date: items postmarked September 30, 2025 or earlier are accepted, and items postmarked after September 30 are returned.
• ✓ If you’re unsure whether a sender counts as a “publisher,” confirm it before you place the order (the definition includes bookstores, book clubs, distributors, religious organizations/ministries, educational institutions, and certain government units that mail-order publications).

1. Check whether it fits an exception - Materials for Office of Adult Education and Vocational Services programs, other approved programs, the facility library, or religious programs are not subject to the publisher-only requirement.
2. Follow the program’s process - If it’s for one of those programs, get the proper instructions so it’s routed as program/library/religious materials.
3. If it’s not an exception, order from a qualifying publisher - Have the publication shipped directly from a sender that meets IDOC’s definition of “publisher.”