Tracking Prison Censorship in the United States

10/8/2022: still no response from TDCJ

Jimmy Smith, Warden
James V. Allred Unit
2101 FM 369 North
Iowa Park, TX 76367

23 May 2022

Warden Jimmy Smith,

This letter is regarding the handling of mail from MIM Distributors to prisoners held at James V. Allred Unit. It seems that mail to and from Allred is not being delivered or being delivered with long delays amounting to months.

Recently we were informed by Mr. XXXXXX G. XXXXXX, that he had not received half a dozen letters coming from MIM Distributors. Neither he, nor MIM Distributors received any notification of mail being denied. The list of letters not received include: 2 letters from February, 1 letter from March, a pamphlet mailed in March, and 1 letter mailed in April.

As you know, it is within our First Amendment rights to communicate and associate with Mr. XXXXXX, and him with us. And if anything sent to him by MIM Distributors is deemed a threat to safety or security then we must be notified of that censorship by law, and given the opportunity to appeal to an independent body. Therefore it is of great concern that our mail to him seems to have been going missing for months without any word from your staff.

I am requesting that the mail listed above be delivered to Mr. XXXXXX immediately. Failure to adhere to federal law, your state’s administrative regulations and your agency’s policies and procedures is evidence of malicious intent to violate our rights.

Sincerely,

The reason they cited:

>"Publication contains material that a reasonable person would construe as written solely for the purpose of communicating information designed to achieve a breakdown of prisons through offender disruption such as strikes, riots or security threat group activity."

Remarks: "Reason C. Pages(s) Entire publication contain security concerns."

USW Organizing Updates 3/8/2022

(e) Publication contains material on the setting up and operation of criminal schemes or how to avoid detection of criminal schemes by lawful authorities charged with the responsibility for detecting such illegal activity.

Reason E. Page(s) Entire publication contains security concerns.

On 5/19/2022 the above publication was appealed to the Director's Review Committee with the following decision rendered: DENIED: Offender Will Not Receive

I am enclosing a Denial of Publication, but TDCJ. Note this issue was denied 11/1/18 but I didn't receive notification until 2/5/19. That's 3 months later. Just shows how long they hold publication.

Forwarded from prisoner to MIMP

Reason (c) Remarks: Pg 13 contains information that would cause a prison strike and prison disruption.

(sent from prisoner to MIM(Prisons))

Content

Denied: Newsletter promoting prison disruption