Legislative Panel Greenlights Permanent IDOC Mail-Scanning Rule

Last summer, the Illinois Department of Corrections issued an emergency mail scanning rule for Illinois prisons to protect corrections workers and inmates from exposure to dangerous substances entering facilities through physical mail.

IDOC implemented the mail scanning emergency rule on Aug. 14 to prevent drugs from entering facilities. Since then, months of hearings with the state agency have followed to discuss issues with the mail scanning technology for people trying to correspond with their family and attorneys.

Last week, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules granted the agency permission to adopt permanent rules for mail scanning/digitization.

According to IDOC, scans or photocopies of mail are intended to be clear, concise and legible. IDOC will also ban the storage of any biometric identifiers on the tablets people use to read mail.

Read more on the permanent IDOC mail-scanning rule here: https://www.wandtv.com/news/statehouse/idoc-permanent-mail-scanning-rule-approved-by-legislative-panel/article_fa7c2cc0-8650-497b-96e3-9bb89d1f5662.html