About

WHO WE ARE

Midwest Books to Prisoners is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) not for profit book store and organization based in Chicago. Our goal is to directly support inmates by furthering their educational goals. Since 2004 we have been accepting requests from any and all incarcerated people, and mailing them reading material that corresponds to their areas of interest free of charge.

WHAT WE DO

We accept requests for reading materials from any and all inmates, and send them books, magazines, or other print media within their areas of interest free of charge. If you are currently incarcerated and would like to receive some books, or if you would like to make a request on behalf of an inmate you know, you can find our contact information here.

We also accept donated textbooks, novels, magazines, and other print materials, and rely on these donations to fulfill requests from inmates. Click here to find out how to donate.

WHY WE DO IT

In his letter to the Hebrews, Saint Paul tells us to “remember those in prison as though you yourself were with them, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Inmates are members of our community, and at Midwest Books to Prisoners we believe that radical change begins with helping the most vulnerable among us. Incarcerated people are deprived of many of their most basic human rights, including the right to education. Many prisoners have very little formal education and as a result are lacking many of the skills that translate to conventional employment. This means they often face obstacles beyond just their criminal records upon release, which, in turn, raises their chances of return to prison.

According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, only 16% of inmates who receive literacy assistance in prison will be re-incarcerated, compared with 70% who receive no literacy training. Research continuously shows that when taxpayer dollars go towards social spending and are invested in education, incarcerated people are better able to build full lives for themselves after being released, instead of being sucked back into the prison system. On average, it costs $25000 of taxpayer money per year to house just one adult, and the cost of housing juvenile offenders is nearly double that. Investing in the futures of inmates is not only the most compassionate approach, it is also the most practical one.

Inmates want to learn. Our goal is to help incarcerated people further their education through reading and independent study, making it possible for them to build new and better lives for themselves and their families once they’ve been released.

If you believe in our mission at Midwest Books to Prisoners, we would love to work with you!