Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” is among the banned books in Texas prisons, but Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” is allowed. Along with these, other banned books include “Beekeeping for Dummies,” comic books, and works by popular authors like Stephen King and James Patterson.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has banned over 10,000 books in total, making them inaccessible to the 134,000 incarcerated individuals in Texas prisons. The reasons for banning certain books vary, with categories such as facilitating an escape, inciting a riot, or promoting criminal activities leading to books being prohibited.
The Department of Criminal Justice has made efforts to review and approve previously banned books, as well as distribute tablets with access to e-books to incarcerated individuals. Despite these efforts, many books remain banned, including those with explicit content or themes of manipulation and criminal schemes.
Graphic novels and manga authors are particularly targeted, with popular works like “Punisher” and “Sandman” being on the banned list. Brian K. Vaughan, a prominent author in this genre, expressed his thoughts on the ban, highlighting the appeal and accessibility of graphic novels to readers.
In contrast, the Department of Criminal Justice has increased the number of approved books following a review in 2018. Westerns and detective stories are popular choices among incarcerated individuals, with authors like William Johnstone and Nora Roberts having multiple approved titles.
Controversial books like Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” are allowed in Texas prisons, while others with themes of race or racial slurs are banned. The decision-making process for banning books has been criticized as arbitrary by some, questioning the criteria used by the prisons department.
Overall, the issue of banned books in Texas prisons raises questions about censorship, access to information, and the impact on incarcerated individuals. The efforts to review and expand the list of approved books demonstrate a nuanced approach to balancing security concerns with the rights of individuals to access diverse literary content.
