From a utilitarian stand point, what costs more? The extra food, or the cost of the medical bills when the guards have to contain a prison riot?

It's prison. Are you going to eat that? Thanks.

You know, I'm all for keeping prison conditions spartan... but when food costs go up like they are right now, starving people to stay under budget just isn't right.

/lights match
//bails

Given how easy it is for any of us to end up in prison these days, I think giving them money for decent accomodations might be a wise investment.

Weaver95: Given how easy it is for any of us to end up in prison these days, I think giving them money for decent accomodations might be a wise investment.

very true

Weaver95: Given how easy it is for any of us to end up in prison these days, I think giving them money for decent accomodations might be a wise investment.

No kidding. A friend of mine is in prison for not paying child support. While he was unemployed. To his wealthy ex-wife, who is now married to a millionaire.

FTFA: The menu isn't fine dining. One serving of food costs about $1.04.

What are the feeding those guys, caviar and lobster?


This guy knows how to stretch a food budget.

Philbb: FTFA: The menu isn't fine dining. One serving of food costs about $1.04.

What are the feeding those guys, caviar and lobster?

This guy knows how to stretch a food budget.

More testicles means more iron.

SpinStopper: No kidding. A friend of mine is in prison for not paying child support. While he was unemployed. To his wealthy ex-wife, who is now married to a millionaire.

That is some insane shiat. That actually makes me very angry. Whatever the hell happened to the whole "spirit of the law"? And yet the government keeps biatching that they need to build more prisons cause the ones we got keep getting too over-crowded. Gee, I wonder if there's a simpler way to solve that, jackasses. God damnit.

wyltoknow: That is some insane shiat. That actually makes me very angry. Whatever the hell happened to the whole "spirit of the law"? And yet the government keeps biatching that they need to build more prisons cause the ones we got keep getting too over-crowded. Gee, I wonder if there's a simpler way to solve that, jackasses. God damnit.

To follow the "spirit of the law" rather than the "letter of the law," one would need to be reasonable, rational, and capable of thinking things through. It's so much easier for them to go auto-pilot and say, "he didn't pay, throw the book at him" than to say, "lady, he is getting a couple of hundred dollars a week and probably can't pay his own rent... and you have millions. Let him get on his feet, and we'll revisit this." But that would require thought! And who wants that?

And concerning the OP: how does putting an unemployed guy in jail for not paying child support in any way, shape or form, help the situation? He can't get a bloody job if he is in jail, so he can't earn the income he needs to pay the child support, or even get on his feet. In fact, by jailing him, they made it harder for him to reestablish himself and resume payments. Brilliant. Just... brilliant.

Learn to read, Submitter. This is about a jail, which is not the same as a prison. The main difference being that most inmates in a jail are pre-trial detainees and have not been convicted.

Cut the peanut butter on a PB&J? I don't think prison/jail should be a resort, but damn...jelly sandwiches (probably on cheap bleach white bread), that is harsh. Especially when you consider millions of Americans have been considered incarceration-worthy for one reason or another, some completely bullshiat.

Bread + water + multivitamin = you'll survive.

"Nutraloaf is a food loaf served as punishment to unruly prisoners in many United States prisons. The Nutraloaf recipe varies widely, but often includes potato flakes, imitation cheese, beans, ground beef, cubed bread, raisins, beets, and other foods. Because eating it does not require utensils, it is considered an ideal food to serve to prisoners who have attempted to use forks or spoons to unlock their cell or stab other inmates or guards."


Food as punishment- hmmm- I guess that depends on what they did. Nearly half the prison population probably shouldn't be there,and someday won't, so do we really want them released all angry and constipated?

Caring about $100,000 of costs in a year of administering a correctional system is laughable. But then, it's a great way to rile up the people who've never had go to work surrounded by angry, hungry criminals.

You know, minimum-wage-mitter, 100,000 is really not that much money.

flucto: You know, minimum-wage-mitter, 100,000 is really not that much money.

Okay, then give me $100,000.

H_is_for_Heretic: "Nutraloaf is a food loaf served as punishment to unruly prisoners in many United States prisons. The Nutraloaf recipe varies widely, but often includes potato flakes, imitation cheese, beans, ground beef, cubed bread, raisins, beets, and other foods. Because eating it does not require utensils, it is considered an ideal food to serve to prisoners who have attempted to use forks or spoons to unlock their cell or stab other inmates or guards."


Food as punishment- hmmm- I guess that depends on what they did. Nearly half the prison population probably shouldn't be there,and someday won't, so do we really want them released all angry and constipated?

:P

i'd eat that

I miss the peanut butter and the buttsex.

Typical idiotic shock journalism. Oh noes!! $100k increase this year!! Yeah, on a $3 Million dollar food budget. Costs go up on an annual basis, esp food costs. This year is a little worse than normal. It evens out.

But then that wouldnt make for much of a story.

Electriclectic: Okay, then make 7,900 meals per day with it.

Well, at least they have an honest problem in expenses leading to cutbacks. Most county jails starve their prisoners to boost commissary profits, which is usually part of a sweetheart contract between the sheriff and one of his buddies.

Clarks County, Wash., went the opposite direction with PB&J, nixing the jelly. The county has shrunk portion sizes, and prisoners get meat substitutes such as beans, noodles and cornmeal.

"There's been a bigger focus on legumes," said Clark Campbell, food services manager for Clarks County. "But, of course, you can only go so far. These are sons and daughters of county residents."

That's Clark County, WA you dumbass.

We also serve Nutri Loaf for cheap nutritious food (here's one recipe if your so inclined).

I say give them two meals a day. It's enough to live on so it can't be considered cruel and unusual. If the cons don't like it, then maybe they'll think twice about committing a crime and going back to jail.

still funny to me

Stupid.

Stupid that people are biatching about this, that is. Though, what prisons SHOULD do is take away the weight rooms and such.

Oh get over it, you little pussy ass prisoners. I eat beans because they are healthy and tasty as hell if you do them right. The fact that they are cheap is just a by-product. I'm all for prisoner rights, but feeding prisoners beans isn't an issue. Consider it an upgrade to McDonalds, Sonic, and TGI Fridays that most fat Americans eat at.

grunthos: Electriclectic: Okay, then make 7,900 meals per day with it.

Rice and Raman noodle.

That should actually get me some change back.

There are MANY ppl in prison that should not be there. Having been in trouble when I was a (stupid ass) young man I can tell you first hand. I was not one of those ppl..... I needed to be put in there.... it actually saved my (future) life.
Most prisoners are just regular joes who have done something stupid, especially if you live in an over zealous police state like Florida. Everyone gets the wrong idea that it's nothing but thugs and rapists, it's not.
Treating them like crap, feeding them crap, and Not giving them some sort of education is the worst thing(s) that we could do.
Don't get me wrong, there are a bunch of asshat motherfarkers that Do belong there, that will never amount to a thing, but most are just poor and in dire need of a positive direction in life.
It really sickens me when ppl act as if everyone behind bars should be kicked like a dog, when there is not a single person who visits Fark that hasn't broken the law, most of us probably did today in fact.
We have more ppl in prison than any other country in the world.
Do you think that is because we have more criminals, or because Americans are just inherently evil? No, of course not.
So before you get on your high horse, remember, everyone in there is someone's child, and one day, in a moment of stupidity, it could be your child.
As it has been proven without a doubt in these last eight years, we've seen how this country treats ppl, how the rules don't apply evenly across the board, and how easily it has become to put the poor, the under educated and the dissidents away.
America is now a police state, a nation that allows it's rich and it's powerful to hide behind the very laws that are supposed to govern them, and makes a large part pay that price.
Have a heart. Peanut butter is not a luxury. This isn't UAE, it's farking USA, and we better start to remember what that means before it's to late for everyone.

serpent_sky:

And concerning the OP: how does putting an unemployed guy in jail for not paying child support in any way, shape or form, help the situation? He can't get a bloody job if he is in jail, so he can't earn the income he needs to pay the child support, or even get on his feet. In fact, by jailing him, they made it harder for him to reestablish himself and resume payments. Brilliant. Just... brilliant.

That's not the only stupid punishment for not paying child support. Many states revoke driver's licenses for non-payment of child support as well. I bet that makes it really easy to even be able to pay.

tonesskin: Oh get over it, you little pussy ass prisoners. I eat beans because they are healthy and tasty as hell if you do them right.

Can you imagine the wind speeds nd the smell in a prison full of inmates fed on beans.

When my ex-husband was serving out a sentence in the Pierce County Jail for unpaid child support (children other than the one I bore him - I'm the reasonable one who never asked for child support) and parking tickets, he told me the best thing about doing time was working on the road crew - they got fed McDonalds every day. I wonder if they're still doing that.

/jelly sammiches? you've gotta be kidding me - I'd riot over crap like that in a heartbeat

Weaver95: Given how easy it is for any of us to end up in prison these days, I think giving them money for decent accomodations might be a wise investment.

This always pops into my head whenever we get a thread on here about some child molester or corrupt politician, and the gleeful PMITA comments ensue. Yes, there are awful people who did awful things that deserve awful punishments. No, I don't know who they are and neither does the judge or jury, despite all the "evidence" they were shown. All of these recent DNA exonerations should be giving us all some pause.

I would think that "anal lube" would be missed more... but, hey, different strokes for different folks.

You know how they could cut back on food costs? Releasing all of the non violent drug offenders who don't deserve to be there in the first place. That'd empty what, half the cells? Good eats at those prices.

Well, they could go the same way Dakota Co, MN did - turkey balogna sandwiches, some fruit, maybe some chips or cookies. Twice a day. EVERY day.Link (new window)

We do need to separate the non violent convicts from the rest.

While this need not be a drug war debate (believe me, it's obvious looking at many of the places that legalize pot that it is not an easy issue on either side)... Many drug convicts are not bad people so much as careless kids, and we should take care that prison doesn't harden them. Give them labor, good food, education. It will pay us back, and probably reduce drug crime.

Let the rapists and killers and all that have their shiat food.

Raiden333: From a utilitarian stand point, what costs more? The extra food, or the cost of the medical bills when the guards have to contain a prison riot?

I just want to point out that despite the headline this is actually a county jail, not prison. There's a difference, mainly being that people that are "enjoying" a stay in jail are probably going to get out in a few weeks or months and generally aren't hardened criminals (Think unpaid parking tickets, drunk and disorderly, battery, d.u.i, etc, basically all the things that you and I probably would be arrested for, or potentially could, assuming that neither one of us is a rapist or a murderer.)

Anyway, the article failed to point out that while grocery prices nation wide have risen 14% over the last year, the food budget at that one particular county jail had only gone up about 3%.

So to me, it seems like they're doing a pretty damn good job.

earth:

Best post I've read in at least a month.

Think of Bob Novak, hitting that hobo and not even noticing. If he was some young poor-ass guy with no connections, is there any question where he would be right now?

earth: There are MANY ppl in prison that should not be there. Having been in trouble when I was a (stupid ass) young man I can tell you first hand. I was not one of those ppl..... I needed to be put in there.... it actually saved my (future) life.
Most prisoners are just regular joes who have done something stupid, especially if you live in an over zealous police state like Florida. Everyone gets the wrong idea that it's nothing but thugs and rapists, it's not.
Treating them like crap, feeding them crap, and Not giving them some sort of education is the worst thing(s) that we could do.
Don't get me wrong, there are a bunch of asshat motherfarkers that Do belong there, that will never amount to a thing, but most are just poor and in dire need of a positive direction in life.
It really sickens me when ppl act as if everyone behind bars should be kicked like a dog, when there is not a single person who visits Fark that hasn't broken the law, most of us probably did today in fact.
We have more ppl in prison than any other country in the world.
Do you think that is because we have more criminals, or because Americans are just inherently evil? No, of course not.
So before you get on your high horse, remember, everyone in there is someone's child, and one day, in a moment of stupidity, it could be your child.
As it has been proven without a doubt in these last eight years, we've seen how this country treats ppl, how the rules don't apply evenly across the board, and how easily it has become to put the poor, the under educated and the dissidents away.
America is now a police state, a nation that allows it's rich and it's powerful to hide behind the very laws that are supposed to govern them, and makes a large part pay that price.
Have a heart. Peanut butter is not a luxury. This isn't UAE, it's farking USA, and we better start to remember what that means before it's to late for everyone.

And exactly what did your punk sob story have to do with the prison menu?

Oddly, I kind of have an urge for some nutraloaf right now. I love anything in loaf form.

Let them starve. It's not like they're human or anything.

TwistedFark: Raiden333: From a utilitarian stand point, what costs more? The extra food, or the cost of the medical bills when the guards have to contain a prison riot?

I just want to point out that despite the headline this is actually a county jail, not prison. There's a difference, mainly being that people that are "enjoying" a stay in jail are probably going to get out in a few weeks or months and generally aren't hardened criminals (Think unpaid parking tickets, drunk and disorderly, battery, d.u.i, etc, basically all the things that you and I probably would be arrested for, or potentially could, assuming that neither one of us is a rapist or a murderer.)

Anyway, the article failed to point out that while grocery prices nation wide have risen 14% over the last year, the food budget at that one particular county jail had only gone up about 3%.

So to me, it seems like they're doing a pretty damn good job.

Not to mention some inmates may just be people who couldn't afford bail.

Whatthefark: Clarks County, Wash., went the opposite direction with PB&J, nixing the jelly. The county has shrunk portion sizes, and prisoners get meat substitutes such as beans, noodles and cornmeal.

"There's been a bigger focus on legumes," said Clark Campbell, food services manager for Clarks County. "But, of course, you can only go so far. These are sons and daughters of county residents."

That's Clark County, WA you dumbass.

We also serve Nutri Loaf for cheap nutritious food (here's one recipe if your so inclined).

I say give them two meals a day. It's enough to live on so it can't be considered cruel and unusual. If the cons don't like it, then maybe they'll think twice about committing a crime and going back to jail.

Thank god there are no innocent people in prison or that may make you seem like a complete douche. That's not even mentioning the fact that a lot of people in jail haven't even been convicted of a crime and are simply awaiting their day in court. Saying that about "innocent until proven guilty" people would certainly make you a gigantic douche.

CasperImproved
Funny, I was just thinking I would like to rape you.

this is my cornbread

earth: CasperImproved
Funny, I was just thinking I would like to rape you.

wyltoknow: SpinStopper: No kidding. A friend of mine is in prison for not paying child support. While he was unemployed. To his wealthy ex-wife, who is now married to a millionaire.

That is some insane shiat. That actually makes me very angry. Whatever the hell happened to the whole "spirit of the law"? And yet the government keeps biatching that they need to build more prisons cause the ones we got keep getting too over-crowded. Gee, I wonder if there's a simpler way to solve that, jackasses. God damnit.

Death penalty.

There. Problem solved.

what Weaver95 said

"The price for a case of 96 personal pizzas has risen 12 percent to $35.80 over the past six months."

I can get 96 pizzas for $36? I think my late night munchies sessions are taken care of for the rest of the year.

FTA - "There's been a bigger focus on legumes."

Somehow I doubt that.

(worked in Georgia State prisons for too many years)