Gaming in Prisons

[M. Alan Thomas II]

A little while back, Vice's gaming section, Waypoint, did a week-long series on gaming (of all sorts) in prisons: At Play in the Carceral State. Some of the 18 primary articles cover RPGs, and there's also some associated media like a video report.

This is particularly relevant right now because we've got a federal prison, FCI Sandstone, banning RPGs due to the usual:

[T]he games can promote gang activity, competitive hostility, the manufacture of weapons, casting derogatory spells on others, and continued criminal activity. It also simulates players engaging in battles. This activity can be perceived as threating [sic] and could jeopardize the security of a correctional facility.

This is the first time we've been aware of a federal prison instituting such a ban. Anyone with relevant expertise, please contact me off-list so we can work on doing something about this.

—M. Alan Thomas II