Censorship Survey Results

"Yes. 48 laws of power, photos of my children, a psoter (11x18), some adult material"
IL/Wicc

"Yes. Books by SunTzu were blocked. Books translated by Thomas Clearly were blocked. No other reason but "not allowed""
NBCI

"Yes. Ive had several, and most of them was Wicca Religious books. Bucklands complete book of witchcraft by Raymond Buckland for having a picture of Dicty Statue that was topples."
Indiana/ IYC

"Yes. Several books on art by William Blake because they were deemed to contain "nudity" Books by Robert Gisan because they were deemed to teach you how to lead, and how to manipulate people."
IN 46168

"Yes. Cook county jail had in hand book only 3 books, but during Covid-19 they said we could order 3 books a package. They supposedly threw away $700 to $800 worth of books of mine this month."
Cook County Jail

"No. "
Cook County Jail

"Yes. I have had blank cards and holiday cards blocked because they stopped allowing them in. I cannot recall if any books have been blocked. They have never confiscated a book from me, praise god, oh wait, after a shake down, I noticed that my book "Unlocking the Dream vision" was missing once and I had to replace it. I never found out what happened to it."
CCDOC/IL

"Yes. The Art of War, The 48 Laws of Power, Yoga Books. Due to "safety & security" and the yoga one - "innappropriate"."
llinois, USP-Marion

"Yes. I've had prison legal news and prisoner revolutionary news letter blocked. I was told that it contained language that incites violence or poses a security threat to the institution."
Westville Correctional Facility

"No. "
IL, Jacksonville

"Yes. Stateville speaks sent their letter of news the warden was not allowing the news to be given at that time."
IL, Hill corrctr

"Yes. Satanic Bible, sex books. IDK why."
Pinckneyuine

"Yes. I have had a magazine called Don Diva blocked. As well as a magazine called staight stuntin."
Ind, New Castle

"Yes. 4 Zines from East Bay Prisoner Support, Life without Law, The Insurgent Southwest, The Solitairey Anarchist, Grand Jury Investigations FBI Harrassment and Your Rights. I have filed an appeal to BOP Regional Office. I will exaust my available remedies and file a lawsuit."
USP Marion

"Yes. Economic Books, Legal Mail, Education Material. Confiscated for suspicion of drug trafficking."
Cook County Jail

"Yes. Too many to list. I am currently being denied receiving Hard-Cover Books due to safety & security issues but I can have a television or GTL-tablet with glass, and plastic that can be turn into a weapon and more of a security threat."
Westville Correctional Facility

"Yes. When I was at USP-Thomson, midwest books to prisoners sent a magazine, whcih was not allowed due to the magazine having a picture of USP-Thomson on the front of magazine and/or USP-Thomson was mentioned within the magazine."
USP-Beaumont

"Yes. House building (how to build, from site selection all through paint and rugs.) Apparently "safety & security" However, I know the book-build houses as my trade - so Shouldn't I, too, be kicked out of prison for "safety & security"? The history of the Black Panther Party - and I'm white; so I'm not allowed to read history books that contain true historical anecsotes?"
IL Menard Doc

"Yes. I've had many business books and materials blocked and confiscated because they were unpopular, I believe."
Dixon. C.C

"Yes. Bible studies, Bible Certicates, and books from book clubs. The books from the book clubs get confiscated because they say that there is unknown substances in them. Its just a way for them to keep them from us."
Miami Corr Fac Indiana

"Yes. 1) Religious items such as power deck territ cards confiscated for alleged nudity.
2) Book from Midwest Books to Prisoners that simply showed a vague picture of the outside of USP Thompson alleged as potention escape material.
3) Writing & drawing from my children."
USP-Coleman I

"Yes. Historical classic art compilation - reason given was "Nudity"."
Elkton FCI

"Yes. Books the facility says "prohibited items"."
Westville Correctional Facility

"Yes. Of course magazines that the IDOC labes as "Obscene" because of nudity. Also alot of religious books that us Odinist/Asatru or other Pagan or Heathens try to get sent in. I had a course I paid for get denied (in Menard Cor. Ctr,) just because it was from the Church of Wicca. Odinist books all the time."
Pinckneyville Correctional Center

"Yes. I am an avid reader, so I've had several dozen books, and other materials blocked or confiscated. I cannot remember them all, but most recently, I had a graphic novel blocked. I greived it and won, but never received the book. Denying me my book, after the Director approved me to have, felt like they wanted to send me a message: that no matter what, Menard can do as they please, that they can break the law and get away with it. What else could I take away from their actions?"
Menard CC IL

"Yes. The book was 48 Laws of Power. It was blocked/confiscated and I had to destroy it or send it home. They reason it was taken was because prison officials don't want us as prisoners to broaden our knowledge or be educated on things."
CCDOC

"Yes. I have several magazine subscriptions and every month there are 2 or 3 missing. I have had packages rejected for not having "Approved by BOP policy" written on them.

Books lost by mailroom with no rejection notice, I have just recieved an open package:
Double Full Moon
Mythology Cliff Notes
Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck
Judge Dredd Graphic Novel

Rejected for nudity:
The Vampire Film: From Nosferatu to True Blood by Andre Norton
National Geographic Photography Book (Rejection in violation of the BOP's Code of Federal Regulations)

Rejected for being hardcover:
Billy Summer by Stephen King (Rejection also in violation of the BOP's Code of Federal Regulations)"
Federal Satellite Low Elkton

"N/A. I been in prison 30 years for crimes I didn't commit. I can't remember, sorry."
Salinas Valley State Prison

"Yes. Information from a college because it was not on white paper. It's crazy because they have let colored paper in from senders, but not this college. They are only supposed to reject colored paper for personal correspondence like personal letters."
Federal Corr Inst. Perkin, IL

"Yes. When the address was written in marker"
Pinckneyville Prison Facility

"Yes. "The Full Spectrum" and "Sexuality and Socialism". I was never told why, the books were never given to me."
Big Muddy River CC IL

"Yes. Only because they were stained and they said it could be drugs or unrelated substances on them. They all came from Midwest Books."
North Dakota State Penitentiary

"Yes. I just got maps of Alaska stopped. It once said just IL and the surrounding states, but it charged to acc us."
Big Muddy River CC IL

"Yes. At the Alter of Sexual Idolatry - It is a book that focuses on sexual addiction and it was denied because it does not embrace the psychologist or psychology rather God is the answer.
Pictures of family - because it is against rules that are written for S.O. treatment.
I have been denied prayer cloths and prayer oils even though they have been allowed before.
Letters that have a substance they say on it. Glitter cards, drawings, color ink/pencils writing, the list could go on."
Big Muddy River CC IL

"Yes. I had books from Midwest taken. I've filed complaints on it I've got to show. Why? Theres no truth in these people, but I feel because it's me and comen from Chicago. They claim your brothers and sisters are sending me comic books with nudity and othr types of propaganda."
Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, IN

"Yes. Many, for a couple years they would steal my magazine subscriptions (free) The Philadelphia Trumpet and other religous magazines in 2021-2022. For the last year mail room has switched to stealing my incoming books. There is no documentation of confiscation because they steal them."
N/A

"Yes. Legal material that was sent to me from a Virgin Islands Attorney named George Marshal Miller, emails that were sent to me by Virgin Islands District Constituent for U.S. Congress Woman Stacey E. Plaskett"
N/A

"Yes. Books that were sent from a company on self help and rehabilitating yourself. Because the package had some red markings on it, they returned it to sender."
Pinckneyville Corr. Ctr.

"Yes. Pictures. Letters. Pictures because my people were throwing up "gang signs" 2 finger peace signs and or 2 finger metal horns sign. Letters marks, scribbles, stains, etc."
Centralia corrections

"No. "
IDOC Vianna CC

"Yes. Books. The reasons changed on the days I had interviews with prison investigations officers. I dont know the books names because they were not provided to me that I can remember, but some reasons include stains, poweder substance, not being sent from publisher, drugs...you name it they tried it. "did it" I was never written up, the officer stated lets leave it alone and no charges will be filed."
Indiana/ISF

"Yes. Staff claim they were determent to the institution. Or they claim I have too much property."
IL, Marlor

"Yes. Prison legal news. Drogosz v. Carter No 3:18-00315-PPS-MGG currently settled. Prison did not want prisoners to know their rights."
I.S.P

"Yes. Comics, photobooks, art books. They say SEI meaning sexual explicit image. Whenever prea came out TDCJ decided to go extreme over board and ban all pornography"
Clifford Clark

"Yes. I had a piece of paper from a magazine which read "Dismantle police, prisons, and white supremecy build community" on it that was confiscated by a corrections officer."
PA-Rockview

"Yes. I have had many of my books confiscated by the officers of the institution Menard, and Dixon correctional center back in 2019 and 2021, government books. I have mental illness of peronoidness, the office didnt like me."
Dixon-Illinois

"Yes. "
FCI Pekin

"Yes. The free ones. And the ones that are donated to Orgs. for prisoners #1 because they're not new and they don't come with a receipt."
WIDOC Taycheedah

"Yes. I forgot what exactly they were but I know they were religious books sent to me the "wrong way""
WI Oshkosh

"Yes. Mainly under the rational the books were used beyond the criteria for being shopworn. This criteria is often used as an umbrella for books they do not want us to have."
WI Stanley Correctional

"Yes. Mostly what gets blocked are manga, denied for nudity, though based on sending the books back to the family, they say it's usually onle one or two panels in a book and a typical manga runs about 120 pages. I'm ordering these out of Edward R Hamilton's catalog and I'm not familiar with the series, so I don't exactly know what the content is. I avoid the ones with descriptions that make me certain they're hentai, but sometimes I order ones that sound risque, like Body Royal, and hope they don't have nudity. I don't get it something like that is denied. But often ones that have no hint of objectionable contenty in their description gets denied, and those I'll mention.

I will note I've gotten art books and anatomy for artists books (I'm an artist myself) that contain nudity. I really think most of it is down to who is working in property.
I've also had mail blocked for "copyright infringement". Billie Eilish's British Vogue photos, scans of comic / manbga art (not full books, just select pages), and stock photos. Often I have it resent it and it comes through, proving the first denial was the result of an overzealous mailroom employee.
I also suspect that WCI's mailroom may be denying me catalogs/correspondence from Edward R Hamilton bookseller. I've gone as far as to have family on the outside order a catalog for me after I wrote several times requesting one went unanswered. It's been 30 days and even the family-ordered hasn't come."
WIDOC Waupun

"Yes. The first set of pictures ever sent to me at the beginning of my bid were returned to sender due to "nudity and sexually explicit material" because they included a photo of my daughter's mom in a swimsuit, holding my daughter who was around eleven months old at the time, at a public pool although there were others (kids included) in the background. Another time pictures were returned was due to money being shown, a dollar in an Easter egg my six year old son was holding following an egg hunt. Reading material was also returned such as a history magazine regarding World War II because it had firearms in it and a manga comic book called Beserk due to "nudity and sexually explicit material." I guess these things and a black and white anime toon nip are deemed offensive and too inappropriate for mature adults."
Western Illinois Correctional Center

"Yes. The book I requested and ordered was denied because it was about Tai Chi of which they claim it was for martial arts purposes. I wanted them for meditatve purpose to help with my depression and anxiety."
MCC Chicago

"Yes. From MIM and Midwest Books to Prisoners over the past year. I have the names of books in my grievances but pretty much so all have been confiscated by Mailroom Chambers citing "saturation" and "STG Material""
Indiana Pendleton

". Currently incarcered within the Indiana DOC and until very recently, we were only allowed to get books from Amazon and Edward Hamilton books. Circumstances and an injunction have allowed us to receive from many new vendors. However, I was personally blocked from getting a book on the mind and understanding body language, due to: "used for manipulation"."

"No. "
FCI Butner

"Yes. I oredered a National Geogrpahic book called "5000 Awesome Facts". I was called to psychology to explain why I was ordering books for and about children. I was literally speechless"
USP Marion

"Yes. This place needs a "receipt". Amazon won't do it. Barnes and Noble either. They say they do, but this place probably trashes them. They don't want us to have books. ANY books."
WI/JCI

"Yes. It was a postcard that got blocked because it had color pictures on it, the prison said I wasn't allowed to get pictures in color, WOW!!"
FCI Petersburg

"Yes. OUT Magazine, Vogue. It's a mainstream LGBTQ magazine that is commonly called "obscene pornography" and "injurious material". I subscribe to this as many other inmates do the institution library did so but it is routinely targeted each issue now."
WIDOC

"No. No"
NCCF