The Landscape of Prison Censorship in an Era of Increased Book Bans: Book Censorship News, October 23, 2026

What often gets lost or overlooked in the conversation about book censorship is prison censorship. That isn’t to say it’s being ignored–book ban advocates use prison book bans as justification to remove titles in public schools–but prison censorship doesn’t get the same attention or advocacy by the general public. The reasons are many and varied. It’s not as sexy to share with the general public–there aren’t, for example, cute caution tape displays of 1984 to post on social media. Nor are there opportunities to encourage individual action to buy banned titles under the (false) narrative that consumerism solves the deeper systemic issues of our democracy being stolen from us. But beyond that, prison censorship forces a much harder look at America’s history and legacy, including and especially the way white supremacy has built a culture obsessed with law and order. Copaganda oozes across the country, with television and movies rife with narratives of good guys–cops–vs bad guys–not unusually, someone who doesn’t have the power and privilege afforded in this country via skin color, ethnic heritage, social class, ability, and so forth. The prison system is part of the legacy of slavery ...