Inmates in Virginia prisons need not while away all their time in their cells staring at the wall or fashioning shivs, because lucky for them the 20-year-old Books Behind Bars program has been restored, The Washington Post reported.
A temporary ban was put in place a month ago when prison officials said the program presented a security risk and an unnecessary glut of work for corrections officers. Volunteers with the non-profit Quest Institute, which has run the program throughout its duration, caused controversy by overlooking a paper clip and a CD that were stuffed inside books. The items were found by corrections officers before they got to inmates, but it was enough to spark concern over the program.
Now, Corrections Department Director Gene M. Johnson said each inmate could request up to three books per month.
Books Behind Bars founder Kay Allison assures that volunteers will be more assiduous with searches in the future. One handy tip from me: a nail file is not a bookmark. You're welcome.
