The Illinois Department of Corrections has revised its publication review policy to include a centralized appeal process for incarcerated people who feel they’ve been unfairly denied access to certain reading materials.

Earlier this year, hundreds of books were removed from the college in prison program’s library inside the educational wing of the Danville prison. Documents obtained by Illinois Newsroom shine a light on why the books were removed, and who was responsible for their removal.

There are roughly 200 college in prison programs nationwide, including in Illinois, and there's debate over whether they make a difference.

The University of Illinois Education Justice Project recently received a grant to assist with its fundraising efforts. EJP is a college in prison program serving inmates at the Danville Correctional Center.