Proposed rules would require Alaska prisoners' books and packages to come from sellers

Books, magazines and packages mailed to Alaska prisoners would have to come straight from a seller under rules the state Department of Corrections proposed Wednesday.

The department said the changes are meant to comply with a court decision, Perotti v. DOC. It cited the same case when it changed its inmate mail rules, which took effect last December. The notices don't describe the decision.

Under the publication rule, books, magazines, music and games would have to be ordered from and shipped by a vendor, such as a publisher or established retailer, and paid for in advance. A prison superintendent could let family or friends place the order. Publications that don't come directly from a vendor would be withheld. The current rule lets prisoners "purchase, subscribe to, and otherwise receive" books and periodicals.

Staff would have up to five business days to hand over a publication after receiving and reviewing it. The current rule says reading material must "normally" reach prisoners within 24 hours of delivery, excluding weekends and holidays.

The proposal spells out what staff could keep from prisoners, including tattoo templates, instructions for brewing alcohol, sexually explicit material, music with an "Explicit Content" label and video games rated "Mature" or "Adults Only." Multiple copies of the same publication would be treated as contraband. Superintendents could not keep a list of excluded publications. Staff would review each issue on its own.

Prisoners would get written notice before a publication is withheld and could file a grievance. Under the current rule, notice is due within 30 days.

A separate package rule would require prisoners to get approval from their facility's property department before receiving a package, and packages could come only from approved vendors.

If a package is withheld because it came from an unapproved seller, the prisoner could pay postage to send it to someone else or back to the seller, or have it discarded. Packages that arrive after a prisoner is transferred would be forwarded within three business days, at the prisoner's expense. If a package arrives for someone who has been released, the facility would return it to the sender. If there's no return address, it would ask the former prisoner for a forwarding address and dispose of the package after 30 days without a reply.

The department said the rules wouldn't require more state money. Written comments are due by 4:30 pm Nov. 27.