Obviously, an inmate doesn’t get cash in hand. 2. They get a roof over their head, a bed to sleep in, a uniform to wear, three meals a day, and a hot shower…what more could they need? They are doing regular jobs that a free person can do, but only getting paid a few cents an hour. Let us know in the comments below. You are also stripped naked and hosed down with water and forced to put a lice treatment on your head before you enter a housing unit for the first time. If you want anything else besides your basic, prison-issued items, you have to buy it. Inmates also use money to gain access to certain personal items, sometimes in secret or against prison rules. Inmates have their own economy inside prison walls, and since they don’t have access to cash they use the barter system. In this blog post, I will cover the following topics: When you go to prison, you are stripped of all their personal possessions. At the prison I attended, we had access to microwaves, so they did have some items that you would need to cook first. You tell him that you had a financial emergency… for example; you say I need to ask you for some money. How does the prison commissary system work? The prices are similar to airport prices, which means they have an insane mark-up, but I would pay 35 cents all day long for a package of ramen noodles (which is about three times the cost at the grocery store) if that means I don’t have to eat Poultry A La King at the chow hall. Ask the beggar what they need. Nationwide prison protests have called attention to work conditions that advocates are likening to slavery. Prisoner had no legitimate property right in receiving a money order of funds from the mother of another inmate, when money sent from the family members of another inmate was considered contraband under prison rules. Instead, if it’s safe to do so, ask what they would like to buy. When you arrive, staff will record your physical description, personal details, and take your property. The login page will open in a new tab. What can you spend money on when you are in prison? To get a full breakdown on how to send money, Yes, money is very important in prison, but a little can go a long way. You could give your spare change, but you can’t control what it will be used for. What types of jobs do prisoners have? “When an inmate is in [solitary] they do not have email, electronic bulletin board, or printing access,” Rhonda Fleming, who is imprisoned at the federal facility in Tallahassee, Florida, wrote to a reporter. Let us know in the comments below. To find the specific method for sending money to your inmate, click on the facility locator on PrisonInsight, then select the prison your loved one is in. Most prison jobs pay about ten cents an hour, and if you owe money for past intervention fees, court costs, restitution, or victim’s compensation, the prison will take a percentage of your pay out every month, which means that you are left with about five dollars to spend at the commissary. You also get your clothing in a laundry bag, which consists of three (or more) sets of uniforms, which are usually pants and tops. We were also able to buy small anti-shank razors, curling irons, and hair dryers. Women get bras, socks, and underwear. You will be forced to always eat at the chow hall, your clothes will be ill-fitting and uncomfortable, you will never be able to make phone calls or write home, and you will never get clean. She says that since she would do anything for me if I had problems, she expects her man to do likewise for her. Inmates need money to purchase snacks and personal items from the commissary, and also to pay legal fees and other expenses. The most popular and easiest way to send money to an inmate is online using services like JPAY, Touch Pay, and Western Union. I didn’t share that lyric with you just to prove my amazing knowledge of 90s rap songs, but it’s because today’s blog post is all about money.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-prisoninsight_com-medrectangle-3-0')}; When someone goes to prison, it’s easy for someone on the outside to think that they wouldn’t need any money because the state provides them everything. What are the consequences for breaking prison rules? We are told that “crime doesn’t pay.” But it can pay a lot if you don’t have health insurance. It will absolutely brighten their day and, https://www.bop.gov/inmates/communications.jsp. They could also be jumpsuits depending on the facility. That’s it. If you don’t have anyone sending you money, then the prison usually gives you anywhere between $5 and $50 when you leave, and that’s it. You need money for a decent bottle of shampoo, some conditioner, a larger bar of soap, toothpaste, and lotion. Not to mention, many inmates are working full-time manufacturing jobs, in a call center, or with the department of transportation. $100 per month is a good amount. He will automatically show his true colors as he will either have your back or he won’t. Not only are these … We've kept her last name off of our website so that she does not experience any professional hardship for her contributions. 3. That is all of the money that friends and family have sent them which they haven’t spent, their state pay, and all of their unspent earnings from their job. After months of wearing prison-issued bras, it was absolute heaven to wear something that fit and was comfortable. To have any sense of a tiny bit of comfort, to be able to communicate with loved ones on the outside, to be able to keep yourself clean, you have to have a monthly income. Most prison jobs pay about ten cents an hour, and if you owe money for past intervention fees, court costs, restitution, or victim’s compensation, the prison will take a percentage of your pay out every month, which means that you are left with about five dollars to spend at the commissary.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-prisoninsight_com-medrectangle-4-0')}; If you do not have anyone from the outside sending you money, your prison experience is even more of a nightmare. Once you are cleaned off, you receive your “state-issued” items. I heard about that scam too. If they need a bus ticket, offer to buy one for them. Men get t-shirts, underwear, and socks. In some instances, the payment system has also been used by inmates demanding money in exchange for protection. Be careful sending that kind of money. In one particular prison in Tennessee in 2013, a pair of pants cost $9.15 and a blanket cost $6.26. Prison food is pretty disgusting, so it’s nice to have money to buy food and beverages from the canteen. They could also be jumpsuits depending on the facility. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Where is she spending it on In many institutions, an inmate can’t even go to the gym in state-issued boots. Some prisons allow you to send a check or money order directly to the inmate, while others have a lock box that you must use for snail mail. Each state and facility uses different services, so be sure to look up the specific facility that your loved one is incarcerated in on Prison Insight to get the step-by-step details on how to send money. Inmates often say the money needs to go into another inmates account because the money that goes into their account will have court fee's etc removed, which may or may not be true, but the prison never takes the entire amount deposited, they only levy a small percentage. You also get your clothing in a laundry bag, which consists of three (or more) sets of uniforms, which are usually pants and tops. In 2013, she was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the possession and production of marijuana. The uniforms are uncomfortable and itchy and the boots are heavy. In the words of the great poet Puff Daddy. However I only spoon feed her $300 per time which I feel is too much ! When an inmate leaves prison, they get a debit card with the amount of money that is on their books on the day that they are released. Since most people don’t have a large balance on their books, most don’t walk out with much. If an inmate doesn’t have anywhere to go or anyone to help them when they are released, they only have that small amount of money to spend and that can lead to a lot of problems really fast. The U.S. prison system incarcerates approximately 2.3 million people as of 2020. If they are able to earn money by working a job in prison or their family sends them money, it goes into their personal prisoner trust fund. It will absolutely brighten their day and change their world. As Liza Minelli told us in Cabaret, money makes the world go round. Thank u for the information on dollars mine seems to think she needs $1500 Have you ever sent money to an inmate? Some inmates are lucky enough to have friends and family members to send them money, but others have to rely on the money they make when they are in prison to take care of themselves. Every month, we had the option of buying things from mail order catalogues like bras, craft supplies, and CDs. Women get bras, socks, and underwear. As prisons seek more ways to raise money, they are charging inmates fees for everything from phone calls to the bed they slept in. Because they issue you an absolute minimum amount of hygiene products, the most important thing an inmate needs money for is toiletries. Please log in again. Some inmates have the option of checking their account balance on their tablet. Prison Slavery: Inmates are paid cents while manufacturing products sold to government, https://www.newsweek.com/prison-slavery-who-benefits-cheap-inmate-labor-1093729. Inmates can be fairly comfortable if they have $100 a month to spend, and every dollar helps. Toilet paper and towels are other personal care items inmates pay for in some prisons. A larger scale version could be several inmates each asking an officer for favors that involve bending or breaking the rules over a long period, such as a few months. This is meet-an-inmate.com, not meet-a-girl-scout.com! Have their own economy inside prison walls, and sheets, a larger bar soap... Buy when you are in prison for good reason men and women are inmates and usually... Hardship for her contributions housing unit in Cabaret, money is very important in prison the. 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