WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and SportsDonated books from Madison store banned at state prisons

Donated books from Madison store banned at state prisons

MADISON (WKOW) -- State officials are blocking, what could be, hundreds of books, from coming into Wisconsin's prisons, citing security reasons.

For more than two years, donated books routed through Madison's Rainbow book store for the Wisconsin Books for Prisoners Project have gone to prisoners from all over the country, including Wisconsin.

Project volunteer John Peck told 27 News the books have gone to prisoners who have sent letters requesting the books.   "The requests range from basic references to vocational skills like plumbing (and) basic wiring."

There have been so many donations and requests, Peck said books have been stored at various sites in Madison and Milwaukee.

But state officials said Wisconsin Books to Prisoners Project and its Rainbow Books connection are operating without going through proper state prison channels.  

Wisconsin Department of Corrections Department spokesperson John Dipko told 27 News state officials have lost confidence in the project's security because book donations do not come into one controlled location such as Rainbow bookstore.

Dipko also said books sent to a prison need to be new and shrink wrapped.   Peck said volunteers have mailed some used books to prisons and have used standard packaging.

"Our volunteers are very careful to make sure there are no writings in the books, that there aren't other objects in the books,"  Peck said.

Dipko said book packaging is important in a prison environment.   "We know books can be used to bring in contraband."

"The whole purpose of the D.O.C. to facilitate the rehabilitation (of prisoners), and hopefully these prisoners will be back in the community at some point,"  Peck told 27 News.   "We want them to have useful skills, better reading levels."

Dipko said state officials share that goal.   Dipko said state officials have been working since the fall of last year with project representatives to centralize the donation and distribution of project books to no avail.

Peck said he's unaware of any instance of a donated book from the project being compromised.  "Of all the programs they have, it seems pretty innocuous, a books to prisoners project."

State officials said the proper route for donated books is to send them to prison librarians.

Peck said several donated books mailed to prison libraries have not become part of prison collections.

State officials have proposed a meeting with project representatives to try to resolve the situation.