Alabama Sheriffs Making Profit on Hungry Prisoners

[NortheastCynic]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080516/ap_on_re_us/jail_food_bonus
Back in the day of chain gangs, Alabama passed a law that gave sheriffs $1.75 a day to feed each prisoner in their jails, and the sheriffs got to pocket anything that was left over. More than 80 years later, most Alabama counties still operate under this system, with the same $1.75-a-day allowance, and some sheriffs are actually making money on top of their salaries.


But exactly how much is something of a mystery because state auditors do not have access to sheriffs' private accounts.

How could anyone turn a profit feeding men and women for an entire day on less than the price of a Coke and a bag of Fritos? Sheriffs practice Depression-style frugality and rely on such things as day-old bread, cut-rate vegetables and cheap inmate labor.

-NC

[brien]

If this story was about Abu Grab or Gitmo, you would have a tidal wave of outrage. But since it is about domestic prisoners, all we hear are crickets. Selective outrage, strikes, or in this case, doesn't strike, again. We treat our own citizens worse than we treat suspected enemies of the state. Pathetic...

[Muser]

This cricket definitely sees a problem with it, and I've long thought that prisoners should get at least 1 hot meal a day (I believe it's Arizona where they never serve a hot meal).

[NortheastCynic]

I'd almost forgotten I'd started this thread. I do not understand why there is no outrage over this prisoner abuse.

-NC

[Muser]

I'd almost forgotten I'd started this thread. I do not understand why there is no outrage over this prisoner abuse.

-NC

I imagine some don't see it as abuse since they're criminals and they're getting fed, aren't they? What they're getting fed (or not) and the "profit" angle is likely of little concern.

[tecoyah]

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 38 million people in our nation – 13.9 million of them children – live in households that suffer from hunger or live on the edge of hunger. I wonder how many of these folks...were convicted of a crime.

Use my Tax dollar to feed them, then I will worry about criminals.

[NortheastCynic]

That has nothing to do with the topic at hand. It is illogical. Children go hungry every day. Criminals are less worthy of food than children. Therefore, criminals should starve?

No. If the someone is imprisoned by the government, the government has the legal and moral responsibility to avoid treating them cruelly.

-NC

[ViolaLee]

Pretty stupid law, that needs to be changed STAT.

[brien]

I imagine some don't see it as abuse since they're criminals and they're getting fed, aren't they? What they're getting fed (or not) and the "profit" angle is likely of little concern.

Well, maybe then we should feed the prisoners at Gitmo on less than $1.75 per day and see what type of reaction comes to pass. I understand the "profit motive" and if it were used at Gitmo, there certainly would be hell to pay. In this case, it seems to be "ho hum". Like I wrote before, selective outrage, or the lack of it, seems to rule the US. I dare anyone to try this at Gitmo..

[Trish]

That has nothing to do with the topic at hand. It is illogical. Children go hungry every day. Criminals are less worthy of food than children. Therefore, criminals should starve?

No. If the someone is imprisoned by the government, the government has the legal and moral responsibility to avoid treating them cruelly.

-NC

I think tecoyah sees it as a matter of priorities. I can't say that I see it all that much differently. As long as they're getting fed, it's okay with me if it's peanut butter & jelly 3 times a day.

[NortheastCynic]

Peanut butter and jelly 3 times a day is one thing, Trish.

However, that would be a bonus for some of the prisoners. We're talking stale bread and powdered food. Three peanut butter sandwiches would be fine by me. But the idea here is the principle of the statute. It rewards prison wardens for under-feeding prisoners. That's simply not right. I'm not asking for gourmet meals...Just normal meals, even below average meals.

-NC

[Mia]

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 38 million people in our nation – 13.9 million of them children – live in households that suffer from hunger or live on the edge of hunger. I wonder how many of these folks...were convicted of a crime.

Use my Tax dollar to feed them, then I will worry about criminals.


Um, your tax dollars DO feed them - heard of food stamps, welfare, etc?

Also, the two are not mutually exclusive, i.e. the argument that there are other hungry people, more 'deserving' or not, is irrelevant.

1 in 99 Americans are incarcerated. The fact that they may have broken one of the laws that have gotten so oppressive here does not mean that even if guilty, they don't deserve to EAT decently................. everyone should be worried about being treated under these conditions someday given the police statish climate as of late.

And that doesn't count all the totally innocent innocent people in there - how many have been released from death row by DNA again?

Those poor people suffered for decades in some cases.

[Mia]

Peanut butter and jelly 3 times a day is one thing, Trish.

However, that would be a bonus for some of the prisoners. We're talking stale bread and powdered food. Three peanut butter sandwiches would be fine by me. But the idea here is the principle of the statute. It rewards prison wardens for under-feeding prisoners. That's simply not right. I'm not asking for gourmet meals...Just normal meals, even below average meals.

-NC

The Maricopa County Sheriff prides himself on feeding the K-9 dogs better than the people, many of whom have not even been convicted of a crime!

They've been charged, but were not granted bail or could not afford it while they await trial.

He serves green 'meat' - ugh.

In TX prisons, some are getting rations like an elementary school tray. Not nearly enough for a grown man or woman to eat.

Even if one doesn't care about their well-being, one should care about the effect to society of treating people so inhumanely, and then turning them back loose among us - that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and I'm sorry, no we're not going to start locking everyone up until the end of time for the most petty of crimes!

[Drocket]

Well, maybe then we should feed the prisoners at Gitmo on less than $1.75 per day and see what type of reaction comes to pass. I understand the "profit motive" and if it were used at Gitmo, there certainly would be hell to pay. In this case, it seems to be "ho hum". Like I wrote before, selective outrage, or the lack of it, seems to rule the US. I dare anyone to try this at Gitmo..

Not so much selective outrage so much as outrage fatigue, I think. I know I have it. There's just so much shit going on, and more and more of it comes out every day, that most of the time all I can really manage anymore is a sigh.

The problem here actually IS the same source problem as Gitmo: a belief in an absolute dividing line between good and evil, and a certainty that our government is on the right side of it and therefore will be able to determine with 100% accuracy which is which. And those people on the wrong side of that line - fuck 'em. They're lucky we didn't just put a bullet in their head, like they deserve.

[Osborn F. Enready]

Drocket said:
Not so much selective outrage so much as outrage fatigue, I think. I know I have it.

Amen....

I have a lot to say on this issue, just haven't found the time, sanity or patience to deal with it yet.

[Mia]

Os, get on it, would ya?

Constitutional rights being violated right and left in the penal system, it's right up your ally!

:help: