April 17, 2018
A petition to protect the reading rights of prisoners
by Taylor Sperry
We’ve recently reported on efforts across the country to limit prisoners’ access to books. For a minute there, it looked like these restrictions were facing enough push-back that there might be some kind of meaningful reform.
Now, however, the Daily Kos says New York State “appears to be regrouping and preparing to re-introduce [its] program to restrict incarcerated people’s right to read.”
To that end they’ve started a petition which all are encouraged to sign, whether or not they’re in New York. “Whether you live in New York or not, your voice matters,” they say. “New York sets a precedent for the rest of the country, and as more and more states adopt these programs, we all must take action.”
Taylor Sperry is a former Melville House editor.