Emancipate NC has been involved from the beginning in a major legal challenge to a South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) policy that severely restricts access to books for incarcerated people.
Elizabeth Simpson, Strategic Director at Emancipate NC, has worked closely on the case alongside local counsel to help protect the constitutional rights of people incarcerated in South Carolina.
The lawsuit, filed by Asheville Prison Books, Firestorm Books, and three incarcerated men, challenges SCDC’s policy allowing books to enter prisons only from six approved commercial vendors. Advocates argue the rule violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments and unfairly blocks free books distributed by nonprofits and independent bookstores.
While advocates recognize the importance of prison safety, the lawsuit argues that less restrictive screening methods can address contraband concerns without cutting incarcerated people off from educational and reading materials.
The policy has had a particularly harsh impact on indigent incarcerated people who rely on donated books for education, personal growth, and connection to the outside world.
“Access to books is fundamental,” Simpson said. “People do not lose their constitutional rights because they are incarcerated.”
Emancipate NC remains committed to defending the rights and dignity of incarcerated people and supporting efforts to ensure meaningful access to information, education, and opportunity.