Monday, January 24, 2005
Contact: Spence Jackson, (573)751-1378
Blunt Orders Video Games Ban from All Missouri Correctional Facilities
JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Governor Matt Blunt today announced an executive order that immediately prohibits inmates at state correctional facilities from playing video games. The order follows suit with 47 other states in banning prisoners from using this often violent style of entertainment.
In December 2004, The Kansas City Star revealed inmates at the state's new Jefferson City Correctional Center were allowed to play violent video games on Sony PlayStation equipment. Shortly before The Star's story ran, the superintendent of the Jefferson City prison said he was unaware the games portrayed criminal behavior and ordered 35 games of violent nature be taken away from the inmate’s recreation center. But inmates still had access to the remainder of non-violent games.
Blunt's action today will remove 22 Sony PlayStations, two consoles and over 80 games, from the Jefferson City Correctional Center .
"Video games are a luxury that inmates should not be allowed to enjoy, especially violent video games, which pose a threat to both the inmates and the correctional facilities staff," Blunt said. "Our penitentiaries are punitive institutions where those who have committed crimes against society are sent to pay for their actions. They are not meant to be arcades."