Letter to California Gov. Gray Davis concerning prison access. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press strongly encourages you to sign the bill. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is an organization dedicated to protecting the First Amendment rights of journalists. We believe that the principles behind the First Amendment require a careful consideration of AB 2101. It has long been recognized that the press serves the public interest when it reveals timely, truthful information about our government and its activities.
Prisons are a vital government function for promoting the safety of our communities.
Unfortunately, there have been instances of improper conduct within our nation's prisons. Whether such improprieties are perpetrated by prison employees or the inmates themselves, it would be advantageous to allow journalists to have meaningful access to inmates to discover the truth. It would boost the public's confidence to know that the government is not trying to conceal its affairs, and the press would be able to further alleviate the public's concerns by educating them about the process and procedures that make our communities safer. Prison security should not be a concern in signing the bill because AB 2101 provides ample discretion for wardens to deny a particular interview where security risks are too high. The freedom of the press, therefore, need not be abridged by a blanket policy banning interviews.