The Michigan Department of Corrections said this week it will start treating inmates’ incoming confidential legal documents like all other mail due to concerns over contraband entering prisons through the mail.
MDOC’s current policy is that all standard mail coming into prisons is given to inmates as photocopies. That’s meant to prevent drugs and other contraband from getting in.
Certain legal documents were excepted for confidentiality reasons. But MDOC says drugs are still coming in through mail items disguised as legal material. So starting January 5, those documents will be photocopied as well.
“Illicit drugs have fundamentally changed over recent years to include synthetic sprays and strips which are easily added to paper and concealed in mail,” MDOC Director Heidi Washington said in a statement. “These drugs pose a great risk to our staff and those living in our facilities; this is a commonsense policy that will reduce the chance of sickness and death by those who come in contact with these substances.”
Corrections officials said the new policy will still respect confidentiality. Prison staff will photocopy documents in front of the intended recipient, then immediately shred the originals and dispose of them.
