Censorship Victories and Banned Lists in Illinois

As I believe you are aware, I have been involved in several battles with the prison system to secure your publications, and am now receiving them without incident. Therefore, I was surprised to read that prison authorities were claiming that Under Lock & Key was on the “banned list.” The next time that I am at our law library, I will examine the banned list, to see if the zine is on it, but I rather doubt that it is, as this facility would not have given me it if it were.

For all of your Illinois readers, I would suggest the following actions if they are having difficulties in receiving any of your publications:

1. Regularly examine the “banned publication list” which is available in every prison library.
   
2. It should be noted that only the Central Publication Review Committee can actually ban a publication; a prison can request it, but only the CPRC can approve it, and there will be a paper trail if anything is banned.
   
3. The following documents spell out a prisoner’s rights regarding publications; all are available through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). However, if they are available at the prison’s library, they will tell you to review them there. (Any person in the free world can obtain them.)

1. Illinois Department of Corrections
   Staff Development and Training
   Office of Inmate Issues
   Publication Review Procedures

2. Departmental Rule 525
   Part 525 - Rights and Privileges
   Subpart C: Publications
   

Ms. Lisa Weitekamp
FOIA Officer
Illinois Department of Corrections
1301 Concordia Court
PO Box 19277
Springfield, IL 62794

[For a report from a comrade who is having these problems see: Legal Pressure Wins Some Censorship Victories in Illinois]