Publications are newspapers, magazines and books. You are permitted to have five (5) publications at any time. This can be any combination of newspapers, magazines or books. Books must be paperback. You may only receive publications that are pre-paid. The publications will be shipped directly from the publishing company or an approved bookstore to the facility via the US Mail. Publications are subject to inspection for contraband and information that poses a risk to the safety and security of the facility.
Publications that contain information that poses a risk to the safety and security of the facility will not be forwarded to you. You will be notified, in writing, of the reason. The following list includes, but is not limited to, examples of information that will prevent a publication from being forwarded to you:
- How to defeat institutional security measures or equipment
- How to make weapons or fire-starting devices
- How to make alcoholic beverages or drugs
- How to make coded messages, or contains coded messages
- Encourages or instructs in the commission of criminal activity
- Pornography, sexually explicit material or pictures depicting nudity
- Writings that advocate violence, group disruption, encourages gang friction
- Material which portrays, depicts or encourages violent or assaultive behavior
- Material which portrays depicts or encourages racial, religious, national or any other hatred.
Newspapers more than three (3) days old or magazines more than two (2) months old are contraband and will be confiscated and destroyed. You may submit a request slip to the Records Department to arrange to have your books and/or magazines mailed out at your expense. You may also give them to a staff member to be disposed of properly.
Publications must have your name on the front cover. Publications found in another inmate’s possession, altered in any way or are outside of your assigned cell or cubicle are contraband and will be confiscated and disposed of. Violation of this policy could result in the temporary loss of this privilege. Repeated violations could result in permanent loss of the privilege.
If you are housed temporarily at another facility, publications will be held for a period of thirty (30) days. You are responsible to have your publications forwarded to another address when you are released. Publications that are received at the facility after your release will be returned to sender, forwarded to an address provided or disposed of by staff.
These Publication rules are also listed within the Inmate Handbook which is available for download.
