The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) has enacted an emergency rule aimed at preventing contraband from entering state prisons.
Effective August 14th, the new rule requires all incoming mail to be electronically scanned, with incarcerated individuals receiving either a digital or paper copy. Books, magazines, and other publications will now only be accepted if mailed directly from the publisher.
The move follows a series of incidents last fall in which dozens of correctional staff were hospitalized after exposure to substances or after overdoses among the prison population. Under pressure from Republican lawmakers and the prison workers’ union, IDOC acted to strengthen safeguards.
State Rep. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) said the rule has been long awaited after reports of Bibles and letters from fake law firms being laced with drugs.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31, which represents IDOC employees, has repeatedly raised alarm about drug exposure risks. In a September report, the union urged IDOC to address the “rapidly increasing use of synthetic drugs and smoking of wasp spray” in the prison system, warning the threat endangers both staff and incarcerated residents.
Exposures were reported last year at multiple facilities, including Graham, Shawnee, Vienna, Hill, Menard, and Pinckneyville correctional centers. The outbreaks forced IDOC to temporarily halt mail processing in prisons and led to union members picketing over workplace safety.
Within weeks, IDOC signed a contract with a private vendor to provide mail-scanning services—now codified under the emergency rule.
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