Committee OKs Bill on Media Access to Inmates

A bill overturning a controversial Corrections Department policy that limits reporters’ interviews with state prison inmates glided past its first legislative obstacle unopposed this week.

The Assembly Public Safety Committee approved the measure by Assemblywoman Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) on an 8-0 vote as part of a package of bills that faced no opposition.

Under the state’s current policy, the department no longer arranges one-on-one interviews with prisoners. A reporter must write to the prisoner, asking the inmate to either call the journalist collect or put the reporter on the prisoner’s visitation list.

Once on the list, the reporter can see the prisoner during normal visiting hours. But standard visitation restrictions allow prison officials to bar reporters from taking cameras and tape recorders to interviews.