BOULDER, Colo.—Boulder County has approved settling a lawsuit over a policy that restricted county jail inmates’ outgoing mail to postcards.
The Longmont Times-Call reports that the county commissioners Tuesday approved a settlement with the Colorado chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. The county will pay $65,000 in attorneys’ fees to the organization and will allow inmates to use paper and envelopes.
Authorities say the mail will be inspected and stamped as uncensored inmate mail.
The ACLU sued last year when Boulder County started limiting outgoing jail mail to postcards. The group said the policy violated inmates’ constitutional right of free speech.
Officials say they adopted the policy after sex offenders sent children letters addressed to a third party, who forwarded the letters.
El Paso County has revoked a similar policy.
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Information from: Daily Times-Call,
