HUNTSVILLE — The Texas Department of Criminal Justice implemented a policy in April banning prison inmates from receiving hardback and used books. The change came after 385 books that entered Texas prisons tested positive for synthetic drugs in the previous year.

According to TDCJ, hardback books are difficult to scan for contraband, and used books often contain stains or discolorations that testing kits cannot distinguish from tampered pages. Synthetic drugs such as meth, fentanyl, marijuana, and PCP can be converted to liquid form, sprayed on books, and later inhaled. TDCJ no longer accepts donated books directly; all must now go through the Windham School District for review and distribution.

Under the new rules, inmates who receive hardback or used books have 90 days to redirect them elsewhere or they will be destroyed. Windham School District reviews hardcover, softback, and used books for quality and suitability before distributing them.

Timothy Fitzpatrick, director of classification and records at TDCJ, said the policy is “a matter of life and death to prevent dangerous contraband from harming both staff and incarcerated individuals.” He added that banning certain titles and restricting book formats is intended to prevent exposure to dangerous information or substances.

Scott Odierno, coordinator of the Inside Book Project, said his organization—which sends 30,000 to 40,000 books annually to TDCJ—has already turned away hundreds of donations due to the new restrictions. He said the group will now need to spend more on purchasing books because many legal texts and textbooks are hardcover. “We have a rigid policy for checking books for contraband and have gone above and beyond TDCJ requirements for years.”

Laney Hawes, co-founder of the Texas Freedom to Read Project, questioned whether TDCJ “considered all possible solutions or opted for the easiest one.” She said restricting books undermines rehabilitation and access to “solace and peace in prison.”