New Prison Mail Policies Threaten Newsletters by and for Incarcerated People

On September 3, Illinois prison officials moved — by emergency rule — to replace most physical mail with scanned copies , though a key legislative panel has already pushed back. At the same time, New York is installing mail scanners in prisons , raising alarms about privacy and attorney-client privilege. Texas has already shifted to “ digital mail ,” where letters are scanned and delivered on tablets or as photocopies. Though billed as a way to reduce contraband, these “paperless” policies constrict how people read, write, and organize behind prison walls.

Protecting incarcerated people’s access to physical mail and inside-led print publishing is a feminist public safety issue. These letters and publications sustain dignity, care, legal literacy, and organizing. This is perhaps most