Inmate gifts must come from St. Louis company
Shipping is free for orders made through the Internet.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- State prison officials have made it a lot harder to sneak illegal gifts to inmates.
Under a policy that went into effect this month, inmates can receive gifts only if they are shipped directly from a St. Louis company that takes orders by phone, fax or the Internet. Hundreds of items, including food, are available.
Previously, families could send packages directly to prisons. Security officials had to inspect each package before it was passed along to an inmate.
The change was made to improve security and make it easier for families to send packages, said Terry Collins, head of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
"Some people tried to use the packages to send contraband, including drugs," Collins said. "They were very ingenious in that."
Families trying to stick to the law often had difficulty finding gifts that met the prisons' strict guidelines, he added.
Under the new policy, gifts are ordered from the Keefe Group, which ships directly to prisons. There is no shipping charge on Internet orders, and the state gets nothing from the sales. All of the gifts offered meet requirements.
The new system is "basically a good idea," said Ellen Kitchens, director of a statewide prisoner-advocacy group called Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants.
"The fact that family members can send packages is a good thing, but it appears that prices on some things are higher," Kitchens said. "It's going to cost family members more."
Choices limited
There are limited choices on many items, including athletic shoes. T-shirts and hats are plain. All televisions and other electronic devices have clear cases to prevent contraband from being hidden.
"I don't consider any of these niceties," Collins said. "If they buy underwear, socks and shoes, that's one less thing I have to hand out."
Inmates and their families also can order food, including candy and snacks.
When an inmate orders items directly, the money comes from their prison account -- cash from family and friends, plus money earned by doing prison jobs.
Security level determines how many packages can be shipped a year: four for a minimum-security inmate or none for maximum security. Death-row inmates can receive three per year.