Rhode Island Restricts Reading Material Gifts to Inmates

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — State prison inmates here are no longer permitted to receive books, magazines and newspapers from family and friends after officials changed the policy on efficiency and safety grounds.

Under the new policy, inmates are only allowed to receive publications and reading materials they have ordered directly from the publisher and pre-approved by authorities. Family and friends can deposit funds in inmate accounts for the purpose of purchasing reading materials.

The policy change is designed to reduce the time-intensive process of reviewing incoming inmate mail for inappropriate materials and to reduce the extorting of items among inmates, officials say.

However, the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently affirmed the right of inmates to receive any publications or reading materials that do not threaten safety and security.

In a recent case, the U.S. District Court struck down a similar prohibition on gift publications for prisoners in Washington . The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals later upheld the District Court’s decision, citing First Amendment protections.