I just realized that the TES games never explained how the prisoners got their journals. If they were imprisoned, shouldn't they only keep the clothes on their backs? How did an empty book get through security? And if the book wasn't empty, then why can't we read some of the pre-imprisonment entries?

Maybe Bethesda should make the journals in the next TES game more realistic. Say that the player has to buy an empty, leather-bound book from a book-seller before the game starts tracking quests. Have it look like an actual journal and not some Quest UI (One of the little things they did right in Morrowind). And give players the option to write a couple entries about their character's back-story prior to their imprisonment. Or however the game begins. Maybe Bethesda will change the standard prisoner beginning they did for all except Daggerfall?

Thoughts?

Prisoners are often given books to read or journals to scribble in IRL, stops them from being overly rowdy.

in fact, Minimal and Medium security penitentiaries often even have Libraries inmates can borrow books from (And working in these Libraries are considered both a privledge and a form of rehab for some inmates).

Heck, Some Prisons will even allow Inmates to have Radio's in their Cells.



Actual Prisons aren't like what you see on TV

There's a Journal in Skyrim??

But seriously, for almost all RPGs it's a major gameplay mechanic that is usually directly connected to the menu system and/or User Interface.
Disabling it unless you bought an item would likely be hassle, and confusing to new players.

Create your own story on how you got imprisoned, and how you were able to keep your journal with you.
For Morrowind, I also thought that I found an old book on the boat, and since I knew my live was changing I should keep a record. (and you're technically a "free man" when you arrive, so they wouldn't care if you had a book)

I guess it could. But I never really expected the jailors in the TES universe to be overly generous with their prisoners. I mean, where was the latrine bucket in Oblivion? Keeping the journal would make some sense in Skyrim (kind of), if the character was captured in whatever he/she was wearing (so Dragonborn was a hobo before he/she got captured?). Maybe they'd let him/her keep the book, I guess. Morrowind made a little sense, I guess. I mean, you're getting all this random free stuff anyway, so why not a journal?

Was there even a journal in Arena/Daggerfall? I think there is, but I'm not sure. I haven't played the games yet. But would it make sense for the prisoner in Arena to carry a journal with him/her? Maybe that dead mage magically gave the player character a journal as well as that key.

Our journals do not necessarily have to be in the form of books. My female characters are easily able to hide paper and writing utensil during strip searches.