Tracking Prison Censorship in the United States

see http://www.prisoncensorship.info/data?focus=3633

see http://www.prisoncensorship.info/data?focus=3633

see http://www.prisoncensorship.info/data?focus=3633

see http://www.prisoncensorship.info/data?focus=3633

see http://www.prisoncensorship.info/data?focus=3633

see http://www.prisoncensorship.info/data?focus=3633

see http://www.prisoncensorship.info/data?focus=3633

see http://www.prisoncensorship.info/data?focus=3633

It usually takes between 5-16 days for me to receive mailings after the date you send the item. I just three days ago received the unconfirmed mail form (dated 6/25/14) concerning ULK 36's approval for receipt by me from you. No I still have not received ULK 36 and I'm not going to ever receive ULK 36 from NCDPS because NCDPS mailroom staff never presented me with neither a disapproval waiver/appeal nor statewide ban notification form. In other words, NCDPS mailroom staff just threw away/tossed that issue.

Item(s) rejected:
3 used "Under Lcoc[sic] & Key" publications

Reason:
Item contains contraband

Item(s) rejected:
3 used "Under Lcoc[sic] & Key" publications

Reason:
Item contains contraband

Item(s) rejected:
3 used "Under Lcoc[sic] & Key" publications

Reason:
Item contains contraband

DAI Deputy Director
Department of Corrections
2729 Plaza Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65109

26 January 2014

RE: Censorship of Under Lock & Key Issue 35

Dear Mr. Dormire,

This letter is in response to two letters from your department notifying us of the censorship of issue 35 of Under Lock & Key. While Warden Steele at Potosi only gives a vague justification that it somehow promotes violence, Warden Stange from Southeast Correctional Center points to an article ?A message to street organizations: Ride or Die! Unite or Perish!? on pages 3-5 as ?promot[ing] anarchy.? That article is a call for peace and unity, the opposite of violence and anarchy, so it seems there is another agenda behind the censorship. There is a history of staff at Southeast Correctional Center targeting members of the organization that authored that article because of their political disagreements. However, as we know, political disagreement is not legal justification for such actions by government employees.

I am requesting that you review this incident of censorship and notify us of your decision.


Thank you for your time,

DAI Deputy Director
Department of Corrections
2729 Plaza Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65109

5 March 2014

RE: Censorship of Under Lock & Key Issue 36

Dear Mr. Dormire,

First let me acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 10th supporting my appeal of the previous issue of ULK. Thank you for that.

This letter is in response to the latest letter from Crossroads Corr. Ctr. Warden Larry Denney notifying us of the censorship of issue 36 of Under Lock & Key. In it he cites pages 6-7 of that issue claiming they ?may provoke disorder.? There is one essay spanning those pages from a former prisoner describing his/her feelings about his/her release, but I do not see what part of that article would be provoking disorder.

I am requesting that you review this incident of censorship and notify us of your decision.

In addition, despite a number of decisions by you overturning censorship by prison wardens in Missouri, we have seen a steep decline in confirmed mail received by prisoners across the state. I am requesting that you help us ensure that your decisions are enforced and that mail that is deemed to be appropriate is in fact delivered to prisoners. We will continue to monitor this apparent decline in our mail reaching its intended recipients in Missouri.


Thank you for your time,