Sending a holiday package to someone at Rikers? It might never arrive.

Holiday Cheer at Rikers: A Package's Journey from Hope to Heartbreak

As families across New York scramble to get gifts for loved ones on Rikers Island this holiday season, public defenders are sounding the alarm about a troubling trend: packages often don't make it to their intended recipients.

Despite following rules and guidelines outlined by the Department of Correction, many deliveries get caught up in the jail's mail system and never arrive. Packages are delayed for months, rejected for arbitrary reasons, or lost entirely – leaving people inside without essentials during the coldest months of the year and families out of money they've spent on items that never make it.

"It's really difficult for us to guide families and provide advice about what they can and can't send when no one has a source of information that seems accurate," said Rebecca Kinsella, social work director at Brooklyn Defender Services. "With the holidays coming up, this is always a concern."

The problem speaks to a larger issue: a department that doesn't follow its own rules. The Department of Correction's policies add to the confusion, as its main list of permissible items mirrors a directive dated 2016, but neither reflects what officers enforce.

In theory, prisoners are notified when an item is rejected and given the option of having it returned to sender at their own expense, donated or destroyed – but this rarely happens. Instead, items that should be permitted, like books, colored pencils, or pants without pockets, are rejected with no explanation and never returned.

The issue isn't limited to clothing. One client reading Harry Potter was able to receive the first two books, but not the third installment. The client had to borrow the book from another person in his housing unit to finish reading it.

For families, these failures can be devastating. "We are talking about items that are meant to meet the needs of clients during the freezing cold months when the housing areas are not properly heated or in the summer when the temperatures in the facilities are unbearable," said Aubree Aguinaga with Bronx Defenders.

The financial burden of failed deliveries is also a concern, as families lose money they've spent on items that never make it. "I can only imagine how frustrating and money-consuming that is for the families of our clients," said Fiorenzo, senior corrections specialist at New York County Defender Services.

omg this is so heartbreaking... think about all those ppl in rikers who r struggling just to survive & u gotta deliver gifts 2 them during christmas? but nope, packages get lost or rejected & families r left empty-handed & broke it's like the system is against them already. u would think the department of correction would follow their own rules, but clearly not . how can they expect ppl 2 guide families w/ accurate info when no one knows what's gonna happen? this is a total mess

Ugh, sounds like the mail system at Rikers Island is more likely to send a guy to solitary than his grandma's care package I mean, can't they just follow their own rules? It's like trying to find a decent Wi-Fi signal in a crowded coffee shop – it's just not happening. And what's up with the rejection policy? "Oh, you sent us a book? Sorry, buddy, we're gonna keep it and give you a cookie instead." No, seriously, though, this is heartbreak for people stuck inside those facilities during winter or summer when they need some basic comforts

I'm so done with this Rikers Island mail system! It's like they're trying to make things harder for people inside. First off, packages get lost or delayed for months? That's not just a minor inconvenience, that's a basic human right being denied. And what really gets me is the lack of transparency - no one knows when an item is rejected and why. I mean, come on, if they're gonna reject something, at least have the decency to return it or notify the sender.

And don't even get me started on the rules that are in place but not actually enforced. It's like they're just making stuff up as they go along. If they really wanted to help people, they'd follow their own policies and make sure everything gets through safely and efficiently. But no, instead we've got a system that's designed to fail and frustrate.

I'm not buying it when they say "it's all part of the confusion" or "we're trying to make things more secure." No source, no explanation - just a bunch of empty words. What I want is action. I want to see real change happen at Rikers Island and see people getting the support they need during the holidays. Anything less is just unacceptable

Rikers Island gotcha! Packages are like " Bah humbug!" to those inside

I'm so done with this . Rikers Island is supposed to be a place of hope, but it's becoming a joke when it comes to holiday packages . Families are literally left high and dry because the department can't even follow its own rules . And the excuse that "no one has accurate information" sounds like a cop-out . I mean, come on, if you're gonna have rules, stick to them! It's not exactly rocket science .

And another thing, what's with all the arbitrary rejections? Like, why can't books or colored pencils make it in? It's just ridiculous . And don't even get me started on the whole "item returned to sender at their own expense" thing . That's just a nice way of saying they're gonna rip people off .

It's time for some accountability, folks . We need better communication and transparency from the Department of Correction. Until then, I'll be over here, shaking my head in frustration .

this is just wild, like what's going on in Rikers? packages are supposed to get delivered to people inside but instead they just get stuck in the mail system forever and families end up losing money because of it... that's not right at all i mean, how hard is it to follow the rules? it sounds like a total mess and what's with the lack of communication from the department? shouldn't they be telling people when something gets rejected or lost?

OMG I'm literally so bummed about this! Like, can't we all just get along and make sure packages reach their intended recipients? It's like, Rikers Island is supposed to be a place of hope for people who are struggling, not where they have to suffer through the holidays without basic necessities. And the fact that families are getting ripped off financially because of this is just heartbreaking . I mean, what's the point of having a list of allowed items if no one is enforcing it? It's time for some serious change and accountability from the Department of Correction!

I feel so bad for those families who are trying to send gifts to their loved ones in Rikers but are getting slammed with delays or rejections . It's like they're stuck in limbo, not knowing if the package is ever gonna make it to its destination. And can you believe the department's policies don't even match what the officers are enforcing? That's just crazy talk. I get that security is a concern, but come on! It's the holidays, people should be able to send some joy to their families without all the drama . What's going on with the Department of Correction? Don't they have better systems in place? It's time for them to step up and make things right .