Virginia inmates will again be able to receive free Bibles, dictionaries, and other books from a nonprofit group, reports the Washington Post. State prison officials reversed a decision to ban the popular Books Behind Bars program. The 20-year-old effort, run by something called the Quest Institute, was halted last month after officials said security risks were too great and the influx of books created too much work for corrections officers.
In a letter yesterday to program founder Kay Allison, Corrections Director Gene Johnson said he will allow Books Behind Bars — which has put as many as a million books in prison cells statewide — to resume. Each inmate may request up to three books per month. Said Allison: “This is a victory for the inmates.”