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| Prisons abandon book limit in cells |
| By Statesman Journal |
| Published: 07/02/2004 |
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After toiling in a sweaty prison laundry, Danny Walker likes to unwind by reading and writing in his cell at the Oregon State Penitentiary. Walker subscribes to more than 10 magazines, including Home Business, Men's Health, GQ and Fortune. He keeps his small, personal library - books, magazines and file folders - neatly stacked on two metal shelves. The 47-year-old convicted arsonist, along with hundreds of locked-up book lovers, recently urged Corrections Department officials to scrap a proposed rule that would have barred inmates from keeping more than 10 books in their cells. Dozens of residents, including educators, authors and civil-rights activists, also implored prison managers to reject the proposed book limit. That's precisely what happened last week, when prison superintendents huddled at a systemwide meeting. They agreed to discard a sweeping proposal that spelled out limits for inmates' personal property - everything from socks (10 pairs) and suspenders (one pair) to books (10), magazines (15) and envelopes (50). Norma Land, a spokeswoman for the Corrections Department, said Wednesday that the prison leaders opted to retain the agency's existing property rule. Essentially, that rule gives inmates latitude to keep authorized possessions that can be safely stored in their cells or housing units. By a June 21 cutoff for comment about the draft rule, the Corrections Department had received more than 450 responses, including more than 350 authored by inmates. Walker and other inmates warned that tensions were bound to rise within the 12,200-inmate prison system if officials imposed a tight lid on books, magazines and other property. The 10-book limit also sparked criticism from rehabilitation-minded residents. Corrections officials previously cited two main reasons for proposing broad limits on inmate property: reducing the risk of fire in state prisons and creating uniform limits across the 12-prison system. A common theme emerged in dissenting letters authored by inmates: reading reduces prison-related stress. Other inmates argued that book restrictions would thwart religious studies and self-education efforts. |
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