"Notification of Unauthorized Mail": Comics by Juan Hernandez
In my 27 years of incarceration, I have never experienced anything like Dixon Correctional Center's mailroom, where they practice the art of weaponizing censorship.
Their "Notification of Unauthorized Mail" slip has well over 50 reasons why they could deny us our mail. When an envelope containing a letter from my mother was scuffed during delivery, it was denied due to "Unusual Stain." When a reference photo of a child putting bunny ears behind his unsuspecting dad was sent to me for a painting, it was denied due to "Hand Gestures." My little niece can't send me artwork because of "Crayon Used." And then there is a blank write-in section for the reason "Other."
In September 2025, the state of Illinois stopped allowing us to receive physical mail. All our mail is now scanned and downloaded onto our tablets, where the images will automatically delete after six months. One would assume that since we are no longer receiving physical mail, scuff marks or crayon usage would no longer matter, but it still does. They refuse to relinquish any power.
My only way to combat this weaponization was through a grievance procedure, but even this tool was taken from me. The Illinois Prison Administration now sends an "Unauthorized Mail" slip to the sender to submit a grievance, because they know people outside are less likely to take the time to do so. Our families are busy enough with daily hardships, and now they have to deal with this too.
It looks like censorship within these walls will never end, but neither will my resolve to combat it. Censorship is their weapon, and mine is my art.
The hidden cost of 'free' tablets in prison
How prisons use communication to generate revenue and spy on the incarcerated: "Some of these companies have even lobbied prison legislators the sentiment that the more an inmate communicates electronically, the more likely they will self-incriminate."
