Maryland's prison system has reversed course on its contention that news reporters couldn't interview inmates without first obtaining the permission of the victims of their crimes.

The Baltimore Sun sought clarity from the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services after officials asserted repeatedly that inmates could not be interviewed without the approval of wardens — and then, only if victims also agreed.

“This has been a department policy extending back through much of the 20 years existence of the Victims Services Unit,” spokesman Gerry Shields said in an email. “The policy is used as a guideline for wardens making determinations on whether to allow inmate interviews. The purpose of the policy is to ensure victims aren't victimized twice by seeing the perpetrator of their loved ones' crime in the media.”

The Sun asked to see the policy. Shields responded last week that the victim services unit was unable to produce a written policy.

Shields also said he had run the situation by the attorney general's office, which agreed with The Sun's contention that reporters could interview inmates without the approval of victims, if the inmate places the reporter on his or her approved visitor list.

The corrections agency maintains, citing state law, that wardens still may deny an interview if the reporter asks the agency to facilitate the interview instead of arranging it with the inmate.

—?Justin Fenton