# Are prisoners allowed to play CDs / listen to audio? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 17, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prisoners-allowed-to-play-cds-listen-to-audio/715213 "2015-03-17T17:13:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aaelghat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@aaelghat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaelghat)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prisoners-allowed-to-play-cds-listen-to-audio/715213/1 "2015-03-17T17:13:03Z")
Hi - So I run a service that let’s people phone in stories, memories, and well-wishes for someone’s birthday or other special occasion. Those recordings can then be downloaded, out on a CD, or played on a speaker with a memory card. I’ve been thinking that I could perhaps buy search word advertising on the phrase, “birthday gifts for inmates”, “gifts for prisoners”, etc. However, are prisoners allowed to receive CDs in the mail and can they play them? I know they can’t have phones, are they allowed to use iPods? Do they they have access to a computer and could they play the recordings that way? If they received a small battery operated speaker (2 inches x 2 inches x 3 inches) that took a memory card with the recordings, would they be allowed to keep and play that? Thanks in advance for any insight. ---
**Author:** ![Beauregard\_Porkypine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Beauregard\_Porkypine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauregard_Porkypine)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prisoners-allowed-to-play-cds-listen-to-audio/715213/2 "2015-03-17T17:24:48Z")
If i were an inmate who was so inclined I could make a couple of deadly slashing weapons by breaking a CD into a crescent shape. I can’t possibly think CD’s would be allowed. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prisoners-allowed-to-play-cds-listen-to-audio/715213/3 "2015-03-17T17:27:24Z")
> [@aaelghat](#): > > Hi - So I run a service that let’s people phone in stories, memories, and well-wishes for someone’s birthday or other special occasion. Those recordings can then be downloaded, out on a CD, or played on a speaker with a memory card. > > I’ve been thinking that I could perhaps buy search word advertising on the phrase, “birthday gifts for inmates”, “gifts for prisoners”, etc. > > However, are prisoners allowed to receive CDs in the mail and can they play them? I know they can’t have phones, are they allowed to use iPods? Do they they have access to a computer and could they play the recordings that way? If they received a small battery operated speaker (2 inches x 2 inches x 3 inches) that took a memory card with the recordings, would they be allowed to keep and play that? > > Thanks in advance for any insight. This is going to vary ENORMOUSLY by facility, but in general the answer is probably no. Certainly a speaker or other device received in the mail is going to be considered contraband in most places (hiding spots for drugs, etc.). There are services that sell CDs to inmates (see for example [musicbymail.net](http://musicbymail.net)), but what’s available depends on state rules. In some states, the facility now sells special MP3 players (e.g., the [JP3](http://blog.jpay.com/beats-behind-bars-jpay-brings-digital-music-to-prison/) from JPay), but those go through channels and don’t just arrive in the mail. JPay also sells videograms you can send via email to inmates at participating facilities, and I think some of the other services do so as well. Again, it all has to be set up with the facility (or state, etc., department) in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prisoners-allowed-to-play-cds-listen-to-audio/715213/4 "2015-03-17T18:03:45Z")
They’re not allowed in New York prisons. Pretty much the only medium prisoners are allowed for owning music is cassette tapes. And only commercially produced and sold products - nothing homemade. New York also has pretty strict limitations on electronics. No computers or cell phones. And pretty much nothing that has any kind of memory or communications ability.