06/13/2026
More than 6,000 individuals are released from prisons in the United States each year. After their release, these individuals often struggle with finding employment as prisons do little or next to nothing to prepare them for a successful return to society after having been locked up behind bars for years at times. Most prisons do not offer educational or job training opportunities for incarcerated individuals, which increases their likelihood of recidivism.
To combat this, US Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Shontel Brown (D-OH), and Valerie Foushee (D-NC) have reintroduced the ‘Prison Libraries Act.’ This bipartisan legislation aims to expand library resources in US state and territory correctional facilities by authorizing $60 million over six years for state prisons to expand library resources and services. This, in turn, will lead to an increase in educational opportunities for incarcerated Americans.
The Prison Book Program is a proud supporting organization of this bill. An online petition, with more than 6,200 signatures so far (and counting!), calls on lawmakers to support the ‘Prison Libraries Act’ (H.R. 7247). To sign the petition, go to the link in our bio under ‘Prison Libraries Act.’
