PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The ACLU of Rhode Island said that the Rhode Island Department of Corrections agreed to change its visitor photograph police and mail policies in response to a lawsuit accusing the department of attorney-client privilege violations. The ACLU filed a lawsuit in October 2024 accusing RIDOC of interfering with the process of prisoners and lawyers sharing information in a confidential manner, and accused staff of taking written communications between prisoners and attorneys and inspecting and copying them. RIDOC agreed to halt the visitor photograph protocol and to change emergency rules in its mail policy to bar the opening or reading of privileged mail. The mail will remain unopened and be scanned through a machine that can purportedly detect the presence of drug-laced paper. The ACLU said the temporary rules will remain in place for 120 days, when a public hearing will take place, and the lawsuit is still pending. “In our justice system, the attorney-client privilege is critical to providing proper legal representation to any client,” ACLU of RI cooperating attorney Sonja Deyoe said. “We are pleased that RIDOC has revised its policy to recognize this essential point in adopting its emergency rules, and we will be working to ensure that the final rules also respect this fundamental principle.” RIDOC Chief of Information J.R. Ventura released the following statement on the agreement: The nationwide increase in overdose deaths by K2 contraband inside correctional agencies, threatens the lives of the incarcerated population in every correctional agency. As a national leader reducing overdose deaths during the opioid crisis, the Rhode Island Department of Corrections takes the threat of drug contraband very seriously. RIDOC’s safety and security mandate respects individual’s protected rights, including attorney/client privileged visitations and correspondence, all while aiming to keep drugs out of our facilities. We seek a balanced approach to both the protection of constitutional rights and the preservation of institutional safety. Categories: News, Rhode Island