See, in federal prisons, where smoking has been banned since 2004, the underground economy needed to find a new currency to replace packs of cigarettes. That currency? Packets of mackerel. No, really.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Mark Muntz, president of supplier Global Source, said his company unloaded about $1 million worth of mackerel to commissaries in federal penitentiaries last year, though it's not particularly popular elsewhere.
"We've even tried 99-cent stores," he said. "It never has done very well at all, regardless of the retailer, but it's very popular in the prisons."
Last year in Pennsylvania, some prisoners have filed grievances about the sudden and dramatic price increases of their favorite snacks.
The main beef, according to their complaint, which they mailed to the newspaper, is the cost of an Atkinson's Chick-O-Stick, an orange-colored, crunchy peanut butter and toasted coconut candy. It previously sold for 40 cents but the price was raised to "an unbelievable $0.90 overnight," the complaint says.
The other item specified in their complaint is the three-ounce package of Maruchan Ramen noodle soup. It sells for 18 cents in state prisons but is 95 cents in Bucks County jail, the inmates wrote. "Why and how is Keefe [Commissary Network] allowed to offer the same product, in the same region, with such a great price differential?" the complaint asks.
Unfortunately, we couldn't find the results of their complaint.
Low Inflation? Not in Prison [Minyanville] (Warning: sidebar video plays when page loads)
Prison inmates complain of snack 'scandal' [Bucks County Courier-Times]
(Photo: Podknox)
]]>I'm trying to figure out how your reply has any relation to my comment.
]]>But in America, it's predominantly the crimes perpetrated by poor people that get prosecuted. Funny how that works.
We don't have a "justice" system. At most, we have a "revenge" and "keep the underclass in line" system.
]]>@BB_User:
The fish is ground up to a fine point against the concrete wall and used as a shank.
]]>Hubby was a former prison guard. Let me know if you want him to contact you Hogwarts. I'm not worried about giving you my yahoo e mail on here.
]]>The only kind that's criminal, is for commercial gain, oh, and some other laws that our politicians were bribed, sorry lobbeyed, into passing. Remember the workprint of Star Wars Episode 3 that leaked online the day before the premier? 5 people went to jail over that. None from Lucasarts or on the film side of things, where it was actually leaked, but all 5 were from a single torrent site that was one of many distributing it. It damaged the bottom line so much, that when it was top of the box-office charts in 2005, it only brought in 30% more than the next highest grossing film [www.boxofficemojo.com]
]]>Wait, no, actually that's not funny. It's criminal that we as a society not only allow this to happen to people in our custody, but then also make it a running joke.
]]>caught instead of cost, they instead of your
]]>Haha, I know. I forgot the j/k after my comment.
]]>Prisoners make some interesting meals out of comm food. My dad teaches in a prison and they make little pies with the Chick-o-Sticks as a crust and melted candy bar fillings. They make tuna casseroles. It's amazing. If prisoners were as resourceful on the outside as they are on the inside, they might could have stayed out of the pokey.
]]>So, yeah, given that our prison population is GIGANTIC compared to other First World countries, and almost all of those people are getting out one day, you'd think we'd take a very keen interest in prison conditions. Like making sure prisoners don't come out feeling like they've been blatantly ripped off by profiteering suppliers.
But hey, as Americans, we're unaccountably proud of the hyper-violent, non-rehabilitative, isn't-rape-funny nature of our prisons. It's certainly one of the least attractive elements of our national character.
]]>Sounds like you just like to feel better about people living in HORRIBLE conditions who haven't harmed anyone else.
]]>Down here at Angola State Prison the most popular to be traded between inmates remains the activated money-order.
Ever see what a creative inmate can achieve with an activated money-order?
What do they do want with the activated money-orders? The money-orders are altered, a $5 money-order is now worth $550 (or whatever) and will soon be cashed by their friends on the outside. And the $550 free money can be used to buy whatever you might want. Do enough of the altered money-orders and you too can buy the freedom of Louisiana's favorite criminal governor.
]]>I assume that by "prohibition violation" that you mean something along the lines of a drug possession offence. While it's true that that's the only thing many of them have been convicted for, part of that is because while many of them have done far worse things, the DA may choose to only prosecute the possession offence because it's so easy to prove. You don't need to try to find witnesses who will refuse to talk to you because they aren't "snitches", you just need to prove that they had the drugs in their possession without much additional testimony.
]]>While the ethics of prisons is an interesting debate, someone making a private fortune off the system is wrong no matter which side of the bars your on.
]]>Many inmates are there for prohibition violation (being free) and nothing more. They certainly do not deserve the same ire as those in prison for actual violent crimes and white collar crimes.
]]>Enablers will always use your defense because, as history shows, in prison EVERYONE'S innocent and it's ALWAYS the system's fault. Did you know that by going to any prison, whether county, state or federal, you can find Jesus there, too? One innocent in a sea of thousands does not a trend make.
It's time to take off your rose-colored glasses and see that the world is not filled with nice people with a sweet, nougat filling. Some are bastards with crap filling who think nothing of taking from you or your loved ones because they feel entitled due to others enabling. Ask these people what they would rather be doing.
ok you got me what do they do with the fish? i hope its just to eat it right?
]]>