Opinion ID: 2597427
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: The impact of the accommodation of the right

Text: The third factor under Turner requires this court to consider the impact accommodation of the asserted constitutional right will have on guards and other inmates, and on the allocation of prison resources generally. Turner, 482 U.S. at 90. In the necessarily closed environment of the correctional institution, few changes will have no ramifications on the liberty of others or on the use of the prison's limited resources for preserving institutional order. 482 U.S. at 90. If the accommodation of the right would have a significant ripple effect on the prison staff or other inmates, this court should be particularly deferential to the informed discretion of corrections officials. (Emphasis added.) 482 U.S. at 90. Petitioners contend that the only effect of allowing gift subscriptions is that prison officials will have to deliver the magazines that are received as gifts. Respondents argue that this accommodation would negate the incentive for good behavior, as well as the incentive to avoid the imposition of court fees, child support arrearages, and disciplinary fines. The district court found: There is no question that from the institution's viewpoint the limitation/restriction on the receipt of free [gift] subscriptions aids and assists the institution and its employees concerning security issues. The so-called `strong-arming' issue is reduced. The concern over contraband is reduced. The institution is able to follow the flow of items coming into the institution more carefully. The institution is able to follow the items purchased by the inmate more carefully and to determine whether the inmate is involved in `trading' of those items. Substantial competent evidence exists to support these findings. Among other things, if all inmates, regardless of incentive level, were allowed to receive gift subscriptions, it would undermine the incentive and rewards system which serves to rehabilitate the inmates. It would also greatly increase the flow of paper into LCF and the concomitant demands on prison staff to screen and deliver them. If we required the prison to allow gift subscriptions only for Level II and III inmates, it is less clear that the accommodation of the right would have a significant ripple effect, but this does not make the regulation unreasonable. Turner speaks of this factor only in terms of giving more deference to the informed discretion of corrections officials if the ripple effect of the accommodation is significant. It does not necessarily follow that if the effect is not significant, the regulation is unreasonable.