Wash. Rev. Code » Title 72 · Chapter 72.09
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 72.09.530 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
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The secretary shall, in consultation with the attorney general, adopt by rule a uniform policy that prohibits receipt or possession of anything that is determined to be contraband. The rule shall provide consistent maximum protection of legitimate penological interests, including prison security and order and deterrence of criminal activity. The rule shall protect the legitimate interests of the public and inmates in the exchange of ideas. The secretary shall establish a method of reviewing all incoming and outgoing material, consistent with constitutional constraints, for the purpose of confiscating anything determined to be contraband. The secretary shall consult regularly with the committee created under *RCW 72.09.570 on the development of the policy and implementation of the rule.
[ 1995 1st sp.s. c 19 s 13.]

Notes:

*Reviser's note: RCW 72.09.570 expired July 1, 1997.
Findings—Purpose—Short title—Severability—Effective date—1995 1st sp.s. c 19: See notes following RCW 72.09.450.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2008–2021 · leading case: Livingston v. Cedeno, 186 P.3d 1055 (Wash. 2008).
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Livingston v. Cedeno, 186 P.3d 1055 (Wash. 2008). · cites it 17× “According to the Department, its authority to preclude Livingston's receipt of the record arises under RCW 72.09.530, [3] which authorizes the secretary of the Department to read all incoming mail and to confiscate contraband arriving in the prison mail system.”
Livingston v. Cedeno, 164 Wash. 2d 46 (Wash. 2008). · cites it 17× “According to the Department, its authority to preclude Livingston’s receipt of the record arises under RCW 72.09.530, 3 which authorizes the secretary of the Department to read all incoming mail and to confiscate contraband arriving in the prison mail system.”
Burnett v. Dep't of Corr., 349 P.3d 42 (Wash. Ct. App. 2015). “RCW 72.09.530 implies that the Attorney General’s Office is the attorney for DOC.”
Fred Stephens v. Dep't Of Corr. (Wash. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 5× “RCW 72.09.530 authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Corrections (Department) to adopt a policy and methods for regulating incoming and outgoing mail, "consistent with constitutional constraints," that provide No.”
Ejonga-Deogracias v. Sinclair (W.D. Wash. 2021). · cites it 2× “While the public records act is intended to provide broad access to public records to ensure 10 government accountability, RCW 72.09.530 is intended to protect legitimate security concerns 11 within the state penal institutions.”
Lorenzo Gino Sandoval, V Cheryl L. Sullivan (Wash. Ct. App. 2017). “RCW 72.09.530 directs DOC staff to screen all incoming and outgoing materials and intercept any “contraband” in order to protect legitimate security concerns within the state penal institutions.”
Virginia E. Burnett v. State of Washington, Dept. of Corr. (Wash. Ct. App. 2015). “RCW 72.09.530 implies that the Attorney General's Office is the attorney for DOC.”
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