Victory in fight against limitations on receiving books

Prisoners at Salinas Valley State Prison won an appeal in September 2005, allowing them to receive books from any bookstore that provides mail order. Previously the prison had imposed the arbitrary policy of limiting prisoners to book orders from Barnes & Nobels, Borders and Amazon.com. Prisoners at SVSP organized a group appeal, with 53 prisoners signing on and three prisoners speaking for the group. This appeal was denied at the first level but was won at the second level with the Warden's review. The fight against this policy demonstrates the power of prisoner unity and the potential to win battles within the system. Below is a copy of the argument used in these prisoners' appeal.

Our argument is quite clear. To quote the Dom under Publications 54018, inmates may subscribe to newspapers, periodicals, books (directly from the publisher or vendor). Wardens may approve inmates receiving new and used books and periodicals from sources other than the publisher or vendor. Now, according to C/O Alexander who is in charge of distributing packages, special purchases, etc., we are only allowed to receive reading materials from Barnes & Noble and Borders Bookstores which are supposedly the only vendors approved by the institution. This is false! A memo for a so called approved vendor list concerning books, newspapers and periodicals was never issued to the inmate population, even if there was, it would have been in violation of the DOM. I myself, as well as others, have received publications in the past from places other than the approved vendors, this was never an issue before. Why now? The DOM clearly states that we are allowed to receive books from any legitimate source. Much of the population here who order books do so from small independent bookstores which tend to provide a better and wider selection of factual knowledgeable reading material at a fairer more affordable price, as opposed to the large chain bookstores who peddle mostly junk novels and books which are sold at inflated unreachable prices and which are of little or no intellectual substance. Also, many of the smaller independent bookstores provide indigent inmates with precious free books for prisoners programs such as the Prison Literature Project as well as many others. These organizations help keep us updated on current and historical events. By refusing us access and or eliminating those invaluable institutions to us, we are not only being denied the right to further advance our education and awareness of current events, we are also being subjected to repression and censorship! This is how these actions are having an adverse effect on the prison population and will continue to do so if they are not looked into and overturned.