January 16, 2026
Arkansas has a new policy that bans books and other forms of physical media from being sent directly to prison inmates.
Arkansas has introduced a policy banning the direct delivery of books, magazines, and other physical media to prison inmates.
Beginning on Feb. 1, Arkansas inmates will no longer be able to receive books, magazines, or other reading materials directly, a move officials say aims to prevent contraband in state prisons, KARK reports. The policy replaces the previous rule, in place since 2007, that allowed publishers, bookstores, schools, or approved outlets to send print materials directly to inmates.
The Arkansas Department of Corrections says printed items have become a major source of contraband, with pages sometimes soaked in synthetic drugs like K2.
“When you’re getting 400-page books that are being sent in, we can’t test every page,” said Rand Champion, communication director for the Arkansas Department of Corrections. “It’s not about hurting the freedoms of inmates; it’s a safety issue of keeping that contraband out.”
Under the old policy, inmates could receive books and magazines from approved publishers or vendors, with materials inspected and rejected if they posed a security risk. Corrections officials say such inspections are no longer adequate due to increasingly sophisticated smuggling methods.
“Safety is number one, and then access to the books would be number two,” Board of Corrections member Lona McCastlain said during a Dec. 19 meeting about the new policy. “I’m very concerned about a blanket ban, but as long as we can … make sure that they have another avenue. If there’s an avenue, that’s fine. But if there’s no avenue, I think that’s a problem.”
During the Board meeting, Arkansas DOC Director Dexter Payne assured members that inmates will still have access to books under the new policy. Donated books from libraries and bookstores will continue to be accepted, and inmates can request titles through their unit’s library, with all requests vetted by librarians before delivery.
McCastlain suggested allowing inmates to download the books they want. Board members noted that many inmates—except those in punitive isolation—already have access to tablets. Payne said the tablets currently offer a set list of books, but inmates cannot download titles freely. The department is working on a new communication contract to bring in technology like Kindles, which would eventually let inmates order any book within reason.
Then-Chairman Benny Magness, whose term ended Dec. 31, said K2 is the prison system’s biggest drug problem and believes the new ban will help address it.
“K2 is killing our inmates … Arkansas is first in a lot of things. We need to be first in this, and I guarantee other states will follow suit on it,” Magness said.
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