PEN America announces the publication of an important new book. From Pen.org:

“PEN America recognizes the freedom to write and the power of words to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. The Sentences That Create Us: Crafting A Writer’s Life in Prison (Haymarket Books), a new book released through the PEN America Prison and Justice Writing Program is a collection of essays representing a road map for incarcerated people and their allies to have a thriving writing life behind bars.”

“PEN America’s previous work championing access to literature in prison includes its most recent report issued last month: Best Practice for E-Readers in Carceral Institutions and its 2019 report, Literature Locked Up: How Prison Book Restriction Policies Constitute the Nation’s Largest Book Ban. “

“At a time when greater public scrutiny has examined the impact and consequences of mass incarceration on families and communities, prison advocates have expressed the need to prioritize the mental and physical health needs of incarcerated people. With 2 million people in prisons and jails across the country, restricting reading could have profound ramifications for the men and women cycled through the criminal legal system and their ability to access books as a key to an environment of learning and support.”

“Now is the time to propose smart and meaningful policies to protect the literary and educational needs of prisoners nationwide.  Learn more at pen.org.”