Bacon's Rebellion

Prison Commissaries and Telephone Calls

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by

Dick Hall-Sizemore
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7 responses to “Prison Commissaries and Telephone Calls”

  1. James McCarthy Avatar
    James McCarthy

    Much appreciated insight and clarification. Many thanks.

  2. James A. Bacon Avatar
    James A. Bacon

    Thanks for the backgrounder, Dick. It’s good to know that the state system has imposed reasonable rules for the use of the commissary revenues. As you allude to, DOC employees (and local jailers) don’t always follow the rules, so they must be monitored, audited and enforced.

  3. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    We could turn the Eastern Shore into a penal colony. A relatively short wall along the Va-Md border, guard towers on the CBBT, and Bob’s your uncle — a self sustaining, income producing State owned colony populated by the undesirables.

    1. WayneS Avatar
      WayneS

      And then they can make a movie about it: “Escape from the Eastern Shore”…

      1. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        Speakin of, apparently the Anglin Bro’s made it. There is a 1970s photo of them outside Sao Paulo.

  4. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    Thanks much. I suppose for some the attitude might be whatever happens to the inmates, they “deserve” it but I’m of the view that if there is corruption or even the appearance of it, in part because of a lack of transparency, that inmates and their families will see the govt and it’s institutions as no better than some of the behaviors of some of those in jail. That indeed, there are those “on the take” that are in jail and there are others “on the take” who are in charge of the jail.

    Beyond that, clearly, those who are better off financially will fare better than those who are not as well off.

    Between the lack of transparency, and suspected corruption and how more money gets one better “treatment” – it can present a cynical message that govt is little better than the criminals sometimes and that the key to evading criminal behavior is to not get caught in the first place.

    Let me point out once again, that of all the developed countries in the world, the USA has more people in prison as a percent of our population than any other country and yet we have calls for more people in prison:

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/037c71e0506aee63fbacac9dada5c981d5b79f9437660e47e2a8b01881771967.jpg

    https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/incarceration-rates-by-country

    1. James McCarthy Avatar
      James McCarthy

      Proportions are a fine data point to measure and question public policy. VA reports one of the nation’s lowest recidivism rates. However this phenomenon is occurring, it is not likely to satisfy those who believe that the imprisoned are coddled.

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