Prison Literature Can Help Some Inmates

By Michael Obrien


Of course there is truth to the statement that most people incarcerated in the prison system are there because they deserve it. The operative word here is "most". This means that not all are meant to be there. If this is the case then prison literature might give some of them the hope they need to survive and to one day be free.

So when they are in need of such materials they put out the word that they need help. Sadly however there are not to many public officials that want to help unless it is an election year. So the people who end up donating are usually people who have some sort of history with jail in some way, shape, or form.

One of the most controversial subjects that is up for debate is the reading of legal material. There are some, mainly the victims or relatives of victims of some of the inmates that feel they should not be allowed to read up or research and learn about the laws that they broke. The main reason for this is because they feel they will try and use it to their advantage.

For some that is just fine. Some of the inmates have been locked up for so long they just want to read anything. Then again there are those who need specific types of books so that they can learn to read. It is sad to think that there is so much of a literacy issue in our jails, but there is. Another problem is that people who might otherwise have the chance to donate just do not want to.

While it is too hard to reflect on all that transpired the though of some is that at least the fact that they had access to a prison law library had mad things easier for their defense. It allowed them to help their lawyers and to keep up with what was happening on the outside with their appeal. Things like this are important for inmates, especially these.

So the books that the library is filled with come from donations for the most part and they claim that they cannot turn down the donations because that would be foolish. If law books are donated they should be kept in the library and the inmates should be allowed to check them out and read them.

When murderer on death row is allowed to read legal books that detail court cases, there is a certain feeling amongst some people that they can use that information to delay their punishment. The truth is that nothing can delay such a punishment when they are just waiting to die and no amount of reading can help.

Another problem with prison literature is that when they get donations there is no way to ask for specific materials. They are just happy to get what they get. Most times they are in need of text books for the school programs or books to help inmates learn to read. It is also hard because more people feel they do not deserve this then there are who want to help.




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