A Troubling Change in Washington State's Prison Mail Policy

As the world spins, change is inevitable. However, certain changes can be deeply problematic. One such change is the recent policy shift by the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) regarding mail for incarcerated individuals. What was already an extremely strict mail policy has now been stripped down even further, eliminating yet another crucial way for families to maintain ties with their loved ones.

During our bi-monthly Statewide Family Council meeting, attendees were informed of a new directive: all incoming mail would be photocopied, and only the copied versions would be given to incarcerated individuals, not the originals. The DOC claims this change is due to concerns about contraband and contaminated paper.

As a mother, I am outraged. My son often makes cards for his father, crafting each one with care and love. Under this new policy, his father will no longer receive the original card that his son worked so diligently to create—just a copy. This strips away the personalization and emotional weight of these small acts of love.

Additionally, the DOC has mandated that postcards or cards sent from vendors will also be photocopied, with only the copies being passed on to the incarcerated. This policy makes little sense. Communications have already shifted significantly from handwritten letters to electronic messages via JPay or Securus, which function similarly to emails. This new policy seems like another tactic to minimize meaningful communication between incarcerated individuals and their families.

Moreover, this change places an additional burden on the mailroom staff, who are now required to test mail for drug residue, process it, and then make copies of all incoming mail. To my knowledge, the mailroom at my loved one’s facility has been short-staffed since COVID-19, and this added workload will inevitably increase the time it takes for mail to reach its intended recipients.

This new policy is impractical and counterproductive. It contradicts the DOC’s mission statement, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining and strengthening family connections. Families of the incarcerated already face numerous challenges, and this new mail policy only adds to their burden, further straining relationships and eroding the support systems that are vital for the rehabilitation and well-being of incarcerated individuals.

In conclusion, while the intent behind this policy may be to prevent contraband, its execution is deeply flawed. It fails to consider the emotional impact on families and the increased workload on an already strained mailroom staff. The DOC needs to reevaluate this policy and find a more balanced approach that ensures safety without compromising the vital connections between incarcerated individuals and their loved ones.

Additional resources on this topic:

• Mail scanning: A harsh and exploitative new trend in prisons from Prison Policy Initiative

• Knight Institute v. Federal Bureau of Prisons: FOIA Lawsuit Seeks Records on Mail Digitization and Surveillance from Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University

• UNSEALED: LOST LIFELINES, AND THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF PRISON MAIL SCANNING from PEN AMERICA

• Texas Prisons Move to Digitize Mail, Concerning Advocates from Time Magazine

• Banning Mail in Jails and Prisons Harms Incarcerated People from Rolling Stone

• Prison Policy Institute Asks Prison to Stop Scanning Mail from The Law Office of Jeremy Gordon

• Lost in Transit: Digitization of Mail Expands Surveillance Beyond Prisons from Logic Magazine