A state legislative oversight committee Friday permitted the Illinois Department of Corrections to formally adopt permanent rules that allow it to scan and digitize mail of those in custody.
The rule was originally introduced under pressure from Republican legislators and the IDOC workers’ union after a series of substance exposures in the fall of 2024 left correctional staff hospitalized.
The policy has been in effect on an emergency basis since August.
The department sought to make the rule permanent, describing it as a necessary safety precaution to keep drugs and dangerous substances from being smuggled into prisons via the mail, while critics said little evidence supports the rule.
