Tracking Prison Censorship in the United States

[Grievance Statement:]You are receiving this grievance because materials -- either the newsletter Under Lock & Key or other political books or propaganda -- that were mailed to me were censored in whole or in part by the prison authorities. What mail are you withholding, and why? I insist that you tell me what regulation, statue or law my mail violates. Detail specifically how my mail violates the rules. The First Amendment protects prisoners' right to receive and keep reading material like books and magazines. In 1989, the Supreme Court required prisons to prove that banning material was necessary to meet government interests in prison order, security and rehabilitation before they could violate a prisoner's legal rights. This standard, developed in Procunier v. Martinez, 416 U.S. 396 (1974), gave prisoners fairly strong protection of their access to reading materials.

[What remedy would resolve your grievance?]What mail are you withholding, and why? I insist that you tell me what regulation, statue or law my mail violates. Detail specifically how my mail violates the rules.

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

1 November 2013

RE: Censorship of Under Lock & Key Issue 34

Dear Mr. Dormire,

This letter is in response to a letter from Warden Larry Denney dated 16 October 2013 regarding the censorship of issue 34 of Under Lock & Key. The issue was censored because of a piece of art on page 6 (enclosed). Similar to previous instances I have written to you about, it seems to be presumed objectionable due to the gun being pointed at a prisoner. The piece of art was produced to criticize the state forcing people to give up all their electronic information, the gun being the allegory for that use of force. Given that understanding, I do not believe that this art poses a threat to the safety at Crossroads Correctional Center.

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


Thank you for your time,

Cynthia Bostic, Assistant Director
Support Services
4260 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4260

1 November 2013

RE: Request for review of censorship of Under Lock & Key No. 34

To Ms. Bostic,

This letter is to request a review of the censorship of Under Lock & Key No. 34 and address the continued disregard for the rights of MIM Distributors to communicate and associate with prisoners held by the state of North Carolina.

On 29 October 2013 I received a letter to publisher notifying MIM Distributors of the censorship of Under Lock & Key No. 34 dated 21 October 2013. (This can be confirmed by visiting www.usps.com and entering the number on the certified mail slip.) I am writing in response to this notice to request an independent review of this censorship within 15 days. Upon reviewing this decision, I am once again requesting a justification for this censorship if it is upheld. The letter to publisher received merely states ?page 2? and ?A Code? as the reasons for censorship. As previously pointed out, you are well aware that page 2 of Under Lock & Key is the same in every issue and that this serves as a thinly veiled attempt to institute a blanket ban on ULK. This is further substantiated by the fact that you have censored every issue of ULK for over 3 years without providing an explanation for the reasons they were not allowed despite my appeals of every instance. As to the content of page 2, it explicitly states that MIM discourages prisoners from breaking the law or rules at their institution, which is in complete contradiction to the claim that it violates ?A Code.?

This letter also serves to document that my appeal to the censorship of ULK No. 33, dated 6 September 2013, was never responded to by your office, despite being sent well within your 15 day requirement.


Please respond,