While the highest number of reported bans and attempted bans come from public and school libraries, the censorship of books and other materials in the nation's jails and prisons surpasses those totals. "Each prison governor has the discretion to ban access to any reading material if he or she considers that the content presents a threat to good order or discipline, or that possession of the material is likely to have an adverse effect on the prisoner’s physical or mental condition" (NIC). These can be everything from sexually explicit texts and information on drugs to books about racism or civil rights and foreign languages. Learn more about the conditions facing incarcerated readers with the links below.
Help incarcerated readers get access to books and other media through the following organizations.