Censorship Survey Results

2025 Censorship Update - Survey Results

Have you ever been punished for reading material that was sent to you? If yes, what were the materials and what was the punishment?

Yes: 17%     No: 83%
"No. "
IL/Wicc
"No. "
NBCI
"No. "
IN 46168
"No. "
CCDOC/IL
"Yes. Not for reading books, but for refusing to dispose them. Staff took them, and trashed my cell, while searching. Also, failed to place items as they found them."
llinois, USP-Marion
". Hard-Cover books confiscated and magazines due to the content in them and I was force to have them destroyed. I had a Bible confiscated and went on a hunger strike."
Westville Correctional Facility
"Yes. The magazine mentioned above, the act of confiscating the magazine without letting me read it, the magazine was a part of the punishment, then I became destraught, depressed and I started having anxiety attacks, which I am diagnosed with."
USP-Beaumont
"Yes. They give us STG gang tickets even though not in one) for books on runes, ethics, or anything they deem we shouldn't have. We can get from 6mo - 1yr in seq and even a transfer to a higher secutiry prison. 90% of the time the "offensive" material is harmless."
Pinckneyville Correctional Center
"Yes. I never have received a ticket, but it's a punishment to not receive my mail which includes reading materials. It's a cruel and unusual punishment."
CCDOC
"N/A. I've been told I would be for a women's group. I love women and would try to impower them as was told to stop. I am a straight man who loves strong women. The IDOC felt that was an issue."
Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, IN
"No. "
N/A
"No. "
N/A
"Yes. Goop Earth News magazine. Circle truck, NASCAR books and prelease material."
IL, Marlor
"Yes. PLN. The prison has been retaliating against me for suing over the PLN denial. Prisoners paid to spread rumors, denial of work assignments, mail issues, and all around harassment."
I.S.P
"No. "
FCI Pekin
"Yes. We're not allowed books that are rated (R): only PG13 allowed"
WIDOC Taycheedah
"No. No, but I would be sad if that happened. I would be sad because why am I getting punished for wanting to read cute lesbian romance manga"
WI Oshkosh
"No. No, the DOC just takes the item or does not allow the item in your possession."
WI Stanley Correctional
"No. I habe not been punished myself although I did witness another detainee receive seg time because a letter sent to him by a loved one had too much perfume on it and the jail determined it was saturated with "suspected narcotice". No questions asked. No proof offered."
Western Illinois Correctional Center
"No. No, but my celly was written up for having a book sent in from his family aobut how to tie up and make knots for a sailboat. He's an avid sailor and was punished for it, and of course the book was denied and SIS searched our cell for it."
MCC Chicago
"Yes. Most of all books/materials that come from MIMS and Midwest Books to Prisoners. I have been punished and retaliated against such as unfactual disciplinary conduct reports to harassment from Internal INvestigations. Cannot attend special count letters. Forced to pay higher shipping costs to send the material back to the publisher."
Indiana Pendleton
"No. Materials or books containing even partial nudity has been known to take visitation privileges, however these incidents are very rare."
"Yes. "5000 Awesome Facts (About Everything)" I was called in front of the entire unit (180 men) to explain why I was ordering books meant for children. I was threatened with the hole and being shipped to another facility where the inmates would mess me up."
USP Marion
"Yes. Well, they want us to pay to send them back, or the books will be 'destroyed', meaning they will be taken home by one of the screws for free."
WI/JCI
"No. The way it works often times is the prison staff will bug your cell and send their informants at you if they see you reading anything political or revolutionary."
FCI Petersburg
"No. No"
WIDOC
"No. "
NCCF