in the first version of our pubcrim blog, i wrote a number of posts (see here, here, here) about food in prisons. chris is credited as the author of one of these posts after the big blog move, but he’s not responsible for writing it or for the opinions it contains.

prison food was a hot story in oregon in 2007, as the man responsible for buying the food for all oregon prisons was accused of shady dealings and of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks. while buying distressed and expiring food for inmate consumption (and feeding them fish clearly marked as ‘bait’ and ‘not for human consumption’) fred monem collected more than $600,000 in kickbacks over a period of 5 years. monem and his wife were indicted by a grand jury; monem left his wife behind, fleeing and becoming one of the fbi’s most wanted fugitives.

i bring this up because of a story out of alabama today. here’s the first line from the associated press: A federal judge ordered an Alabama sheriff locked up in his own jail Wednesday after holding him in contempt for failing to adequately feed inmates while profiting from the skimpy meals. the sheriff denied that imates were improperly fed, but testified that he legally pocketed about $212,000 over three years with surplus meal money. apparently, the state pays sheriffs $1.75 a day for each prisoner they house and lets the elected officers pocket any profit they can generate.

At the hearing, 10 prisoners told Clemon meals are so small that they’re forced to buy snacks from a for-profit store the jailers operate. Most of the inmates appeared thin, with baggy jail coveralls hanging off their frames.

Some testified they spent hundreds of dollars a month at the store, which Bartlett said generates profits used for training and equipment.

Inmates told of getting half an egg, a spoonful of oatmeal and one piece of toast most days at their 3 a.m. daily breakfast. Lunch is usually a handful of chips and two sandwiches with barely enough peanut butter to taste.

clearly, one of the pains of imprisonment is dealing with prison/jail food. but, it does seem to me there should be more oversight of all corrections agencies to make sure that inmates aren’t being starved to make a profit for corrupt officials. i wonder how the alabama sheriff will feel after spending time in his own jail, forced to eat the food he has chosen to serve.