So you thought prisoners were allowed books now?

[swee'pea99]

Well, you were right. Since Michael Gove overturned imbecile Grayling's ban on prisoners being allowed books (for fear, presumably, that they would make a pile and jump over the wall), prisoners are once again allowed books. So you'd think you'd be allowed to take them in, when visiting. No. You're not. Ok, so...you're allowed to send them, surely? Er, that would be another no. Maybe it's different at other prisons, but certainly at HMP Albany on the Isle of Wight, official policy is that you can provide books for a prisoner, but only if you order them, and have them delivered by, American tax-dodging champion Amazon.

When my sister told me this, I was so astonished I went to confirm it online, only to discover another gem of common sense, at http://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/info-advice/visiting-prison-faq:

What can I give the prisoner?
You can give money to a prisoner, but you can't hand it over to them in person - you have to send it in the post, in the form of a postal order.

A postal order? Run that one by me again...'you have to send it in the post, in the form of a postal order.'

For once, words really do fail me. I'm off to bed.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

For once, words really do fail me. I'm off to bed.

Likewise, I wonder if this thread will have been moved to SC&P by the time I come back to the forum

 

[Accy cyclist]

Maybe you can't take books into prison in case someone cuts a hole in the middle and puts a file in?

 

[Mo1959]

As someone who worked in a prison for 25 years, I still was amazed at some of the amazing methods of concealing drugs in articles. You can even get a small amount under a postage stamp, or coat the underside with something so I'm quite sure they would find some way to do the same with magazines, books, etc so perfectly reasonable in my eyes. Most prisons will also allow you to hand cash to staff which you will get a receipt for and it will get added to the prisoner's property. There's usually fairly decent libraries in prisons these days too.

 

[Levo-Lon]

^^ What the lady says..

prisoners are prone to being dishonest..and dangerouse

 

[Brandane]

Maybe you can't take books into prison in case someone cuts a hole in the middle and puts a file in?

Nah, that's what cakes are for.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

..and dangerouse

 

[Saluki]

It is technically possible to impregnate paper with cocaine in solution and then dry the paper out leaving the drug. The recipient can then soak pages to extract the drug, and evaporate the water to get the cocaine back in powder form.
The book would obviously look wrinkled, as it had been wet but this is a service that Amazon don't currently offer.

However, now you have suggested it here, it might be a service that they will be adding soon

 

[SD1]

(for fear, presumably, that they would make a pile and jump over the wall), prisoners are once again allowed books

It was to stop them setting fire to their cell, obviously.