Oklahoma's Department of Corrections has temporarily banned news media from bringing cameras or any recording equipment inside its prisons.
The Tulsa World reports that DOC officials notified the newspaper this week that requests to bring photographers inside prisons for two interviews had been denied. They instead said a reporter would be allowed to conduct the interviews, so long as no recording equipment was brought into the facility.
The new policy differs from previous department rules, which usually allowed access for photographers and videographers, provided they went through security checks and that media requests were made far enough in advance.
Newly appointed DOC Executive Director Robert Patton says the equipment ban would be temporary while he reviewed and possibly revised DOC policies.
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