Texas prison officials are requiring people to register with them before they can send reading materials to inmates.
People have until Nov. 15 to create an account with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Book Portal to send books or magazines to prisoners, according to a department news release.
The book portal, which launched Thursday, is modeled after the department's visitation system and will allow officials to trace books sent through the mail to registered, verified users, the release states.
Officials hope to use the portal to prevent contraband, such as drugs, from being smuggled into Texas prisons through books and other reading materials.
“If a publication tests positive for a narcotic, we will know who sent it,” TDCJ Chief of
Programs Jason Clark said in a statement. “Likewise, if a publication is not in the system, we will know it is from an unverified sender and it will not be delivered.”
Gabriel Monte is the criminal justice reporter for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal in Texas. Have a news tip for him? Email him at gmonte@lubbockonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Department of Criminal Justice launches book portal program
