Tracking Prison Censorship in the United States

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

16 June 2014

RE: Censorship of Under Lock & Key Issue 37

Dear Mr. Dormire,

Warden Troy Steele recently sent a notice to MIM Distributors notifying us of the censorship of Under Lock & Key No. 37 at Potosi Correctional Center. He did not specify what contents triggered this censorship, except to state that he felt it could ?be used to instill violence or hatred among? prisoners. I am requesting an independent review of this decision.

I hope you also received my recent letter regarding the difficulties we've been having in getting staff at some facilities to abide by the review decisions made by your office to allow certain issues of Under Lock & Key to be delivered to Missouri prisoners.

Thank you,

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

16 June 2014

RE: Censorship of Under Lock & Key Issue 37

Dear Mr. Dormire,

Warden Troy Steele recently sent a notice to MIM Distributors notifying us of the censorship of Under Lock & Key No. 37 at Potosi Correctional Center. He did not specify what contents triggered this censorship, except to state that he felt it could ?be used to instill violence or hatred among? prisoners. I am requesting an independent review of this decision.

I hope you also received my recent letter regarding the difficulties we've been having in getting staff at some facilities to abide by the review decisions made by your office to allow certain issues of Under Lock & Key to be delivered to Missouri prisoners.

Thank you,

Warden Stu Sherman
SATF-CSP
PO Box 7100
Corcoran, CA 93212

18 November 2014

RE: Refused mail for Signature Confirmation

Mr. Sherman,

On 4 November 2014 MIM Distributors sent a priority mail package to Mr. XXXXXX XXXXXX with USPS Signature Confirmation. This is normal practice when mail has gone missing without explanation from the facility. The mailroom staff at CSATF used the USPS Signature Confirmation to justify the censorship of MIM Distributor's mail stating, ?REFUSED: Inmate Unable to Sign for Mail at Post Office.?

It is not USPS policy that the recipient of the mail must be the person that the mail is addressed to. In the case of PO Boxes, which CSATF mail is sent through, anyone with access to the box is considered an authorized agent who can sign for the mail. Yet, the label on the mail returned to MIM Distributors seems to indicate that it is regular practice of CSATF to not sign for mail.

My question for you is whether it is CSATF's policy to refuse any mail with signature confirmation? If so, what is the best method to ensure delivery to prisoners held at CSATF when mail goes missing without notice from your staff? If not, can you assure me that this will be addressed with mailroom staff so that future Signature Confirmation mail is delivered as it should be?

Thank you for taking the time to look into this matter,

Warden Stu Sherman
SATF-CSP
PO Box 7100
Corcoran, CA 93212

4 January 2015

RE: Refused mail for Signature Confirmation (2nd attempt)

Mr. Sherman,

In mid-November I wrote you regarding the refusal of mail from MIM distributors to someone being held prisoner at your facility. The mail was rejected for the reason, ?REFUSED: Inmate Unable to Sign for Mail at Post Office.? I have not received a response to my inquiry and am unsure how to have MIM Distributors proceed in ensuring that their mail is delivered moving forward.

To reiterate, the questions that I had posed to you were: whether it is CSATF's policy to refuse any mail with signature confirmation? If so, what is the best method to ensure delivery to prisoners held at CSATF when mail goes missing without notice from your staff? If not, can you assure me that this will be addressed with mailroom staff so that future Signature Confirmation mail is delivered as it should be?

Thank you for taking the time to look into this matter,