Opinion ID: 165368
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Effect of Accommodation

Text: 39 Defendants argue that accommodating gift subscriptions would interfere with their efforts at behavior modification because inmates might still violate rules yet receive publications. They also maintain that having all transactions occur through facility bank accounts deters strong-arming. In this regard, they assert that an inmate that is the victim of strong-arming (involving cash sent to a perpetrator's facility bank account) will more likely report it to authorities because the perpetrator will not know if corrections officials acted based upon a tip or upon a routine review of facility bank accounts. Finally, they argue that ordering publications directly from the vendor reduces processing and disposition costs because eligibility for the publication is already determined. Regardless, it appears that all incoming mail is opened. I R. (03-3229) Doc. 29, attach. 16 at 11. 40 Plaintiffs contend that the strong-arming rationale vis-a-vis constitutionally protected publications pales in comparison to that in connection with items from the canteen or items from the outside like radios or televisions. I R. (03-3229) Doc. 29 at 17, attach. 13 at 90; attach. 16 at 186. They also point out that the institution currently receives free publications, authorized publications subject to the $30 limitation, and gift subscriptions to inmates that are not delivered. I R. (03-3229) Doc. 29 at 17. They contend that merely delivering the gift subscriptions would have minimal effect. Likewise, they contend that the current $30 limitation could be raised with minimal effect. The current policy represents a change from the unrestricted policy in effect before; on remand there ought to be an evidentiary basis for the claims made by either party. 41 Also relevant, other institutions apparently permit receipt of gift publications, including the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Washington and Alabama. See 28 C.F.R. § 540.70 ([T]he Bureau of Prisons permits an inmate to subscribe to or receive publications without prior approval, and has established procedures to determine if an incoming publication is detrimental to the security, discipline, or good order of the institution or if it might facilitate criminal activity.); Sorrels v. McKee, 290 F.3d 965, 968 n. 2 (9th Cir.2002) (Washington); I R. (03-3229) Doc. 29, attach. 13 (Alabama). Though certainly not dispositive, these policies may be considered. See Martinez, 416 U.S. at 414 n. 14, 94 S.Ct. 1800. 42