Houston author's book 'Corrections in Ink' on brink of permanent ban from Florida prison system

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A local author's book is on the brink of being banned permanently across prisons in Florida.

"Corrections in Ink" is a memoir of a woman who carved out a new life for herself as a criminal justice journalist after serving two years in prison for drugs.

Journalist and author Keri Blakinger says right now, no prisoner across the state of Florida can receive or read her book on rehabilitation. Blakinger says the book is in what is called an "impound" and is set to be reviewed by a literary review committee.

Blakinger is a journalist at The Marshall Project, and previously worked for the Houston Chronicle and New York Daily News.

She was first alerted by the Prison Book Program out of Massachusetts that her memoir wasn't being allowed inside the Okaloosa Correctional Institution in Florida. A notice of rejection or impoundment of publications from the Florida Department of Corrections shows Blakinger's book is being reviewed and accused of being inflammatory and a threat to the security or rehabilitative objectives of the correctional system.

"That's absurd. My book is literally about rehabilitation. It's about someone who was doing drugs, got sober, and carved out a new life," said Blakinger. "I was almost surprised that this didn't happen sooner. Florida is one of the states that has an extensive banned book list, and it's pretty easy to end up on that list... but I think the part that made me laugh was the specific reasons."

Blakinger says since the release of her book, she's received letters from inmates across the country who say her words have given them hope.

"So many of us who did time get out and sort of walk away from it and want to close that chapter in their life. And one of the things that I think gives people hope, in a way, that they may not see elsewhere, is that I made a career out of still going back into prisons," said Blakinger.

She says this week, the literary review committee within the Florida prison system will decide if the book will be banned permanently. If it is banned, she will be allowed to appeal the decision.

ABC13 has reached out to the spokesperson for the Florida Department of Corrections for comment.

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