Prisons Tighten Restrictions on Access to Books for Prisoners

In August of 2024, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections notified the nonprofit Wisconsin Books to Prisoners that it could no longer accept used books donated to prisoners.

As reported in the Milwaukee News Service, Tone Madison and other news services, Division of Adult Services Administrator Sarah Cooper informed Books to Prisoners that it had no problem with the 18-year old nonprofit, but was concerned “with those who would impersonate your organization for nefarious means.”  The issue of prison censorship of prisoner reading materials has a long and sordid history, and one that continues unabated.

Moira Marquis is the Senior Manager for The Freewrite Project of PEN America, and is the principal author of “Reading Between the Bars: An In-Depth Look at Prison Censorship.”  Moira Marquis spoke with Monday Buzz host Brian Standing by phone to say more about this development.

Featured image courtesy of PEN America.

Web posting by WORT producer Nicholas Wootton

The post Prisons Tighten Restrictions on Access to Books for Prisoners appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.