The Inmates Get Thinner And The Sheriff's Bank Account Gets Fatter
Here's a grim economics lesson: In Alabama, there's a law that allows the Sheriff to keep any money that's left over after feeding the prisoners in the county jail. Can you guess what the result of this conflict of interest might be?
From the NYT:
The prisoners in the Morgan County jail here were always hungry. The sheriff, meanwhile, was getting a little richer. Alabama law allowed it: the chief lawman could go light on prisoners’ meals and pocket the leftover change.
And that is just what the sheriff, Greg Bartlett, did, to the tune of $212,000 over the last three years, despite a state food allowance of only $1.75 per prisoner per day.
A typical breakfast was a few spoonfuls of grits, part of an egg and a piece of toast. If the prisoners wanted more food, they had to pay for it in the jail's store. Prisoners with no money got thinner... and thinner... while other prisoners spent as much as $100 a week on food.
The NYT says that the sheriff was jailed until he could come up with a plan to feed the prisoners more — and he did. He says he will no longer keep the money for himself and will spend it all on food.
And that's why it's important to try to avoid conflicts of interest... right, Wall Street?
As His Inmates Grew Thinner, a Sheriff’s Wallet Grew Fatter [NYT] (Thanks, J!)
(Photo: malgaze )
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Comments:
Yet another incentive to not be a criminal. Flame on!
If this story was in Arizona, Arpaio would be allowed to Taser inmates to death, then funnel their unused food allowance to his re-election fund.
My friend spent a few weeks in jail due to a dui. I shuddered at what they had to eat. Macaroni with mayo swirled in was a common meal.
The Office episode about "what to do with the surplus" was on last night.
This guy could have at least spun it as if he was trying to help them get healthier or something.
@evilghost: You don't have to be left-wing to be troubled by people being literally starved so a corrupt politician can personally profit. That taxpayer money didn't go back to the taxpayers, you know.
he should have gone the ramen route. best bang for the buck
@Ash78: Love that episode...though I do think it's a bit different in an office setting. Especially when the performance of the office will shine a brighter light than comming in a few grand under budget.
I wonder how long I'd have to spend in jail before I'd be starving enough to be willing to eat prison food...I guess if the sheriff doesn't give me any it wouldn't be an issue.
@evilghost: It's a county jail, not a federal prison. I would imagine a lot of the people there were there for smoking a joint or other minor offenses. I could be wrong, though, so someone feel free to correct me.
LOL...jail store
do they sell Jolly Ranchers, pens, pencils, erasers and smarties as well?
Wow, that's cold. They're criminals, but they're human beings. In fact, I think that's the basic sentiment behind the tenth amendment. Still, I feel the comments coming, "If they want ta EAT, they shouldn't a not committed them CRIMES!"
BTW, is the breakfast in the picture making anyone else hungry?
@evilghost: The money was already spent, the taxpayers are irrelevant to this situation. The point of the article was about conflicts of interest, not about coddling prisoners. And if you really want to go there, feeding someone three meals a day is not "coddling." Spending a full $1.75/day on someone is not going to fund steak & lobster night.
Folks, let's not turn this thread into a flame-fest. If you want to argue for or against this sheriff's activities, do so civilly. "I'm shedding a single tear" type comments are only going to angry up the blood of your fellow commenters. No trolling.
@tc4b: It sure is. If that is what a prison breakfast looks like it looks like I need to commit a crime and get myself a better breakfast.
@MissPeacock: You are pretty correct. It's usually fairly low level offenders, and people waiting for court dates.
Murderers and baby-rapers would only be there awaiting trial, supposing they can't make bail or weren't allowed bail.
@evilghost: Crimes they have committed, but that doesn't justify crimes being done onto them b/c a sheriff wanted to pocket state cash that was reserve for another intended purpose.
The prisoners are in there for obvious reasons, but that doesn't mean he had the right to starve them so that he could keep the surplus of not doing his job. They're still human beings, even if they didn't treat their victims with the same dignity.
People often misquote Winston Churchill as having said that we can judge the level of civilisation in a society by the way it treats its prisoners...
Most prisoners actually gain weight while in prison. Most people tend to keep an average weight because a few pounds can mean the difference between fitting into your day to day clothes, so you notice when you put on weight.. but prisoners wear baggy jumpsuits and it is harder for them to noticed adding a couple pounds until they are released and need to fit back into their normal clothes. Just a fun little tidbit of knowledge.
@evilghost: Not _everyone_ found guilty actually committed the crime. Just like not everyone in jail are rapists, thieves, murderers, and child molesters. What about the people that can't lost their job thru no fault of there own and can't pay child support and got thrown in jail? or journalists that didn't reveal their sources that are held in contempt? There's always extenuating circumstances.. what about the people that did screw up years ago and have changed their ways (it does happen sometimes) do they not deserve a second chance? or at least enough food to live on? I'm not saying feed them 5star meals, but if they're not getting enough food to have energy to stay awake for 16hrs then something's wrong.
full disclosure: yes I've been in jail, yes i was young and stupid at the time, and yes the food wasn't very tasty, but there was enough to keep you healthy
@punkrawka: Excellent point. You are completely right! It's not like the prisoners are being fed fancy meals and such.
In any case, if you have a problem with $1.75 a day per prisoner being spent on their food, what's your solution? Give them the death sentence so you don't have to keep them in prison?
The point is, the prison system is a good system, aside from corrupt people like this officer. Actually, may not be a "good" system, but until someone comes up with a better concept, it's the best right now lol.
@Consumerist-Moderator-Roz: An admin with Chief Wiggum as his display pic?
Hahahahahahahaha that's awesome.
Being in jail does not always mean you have been found guilty. People are kept in jail while waiting trial (no bail or can't afford bail).
All this talk about prison...this is the Morgan County Jail. Think "Andy Griffith" and you'll get the idea.
Most of these people were probably too poor to post bail and were awaiting trial for DUI or other (relatively) minor offenses.
So jumping to "Let the rapists starve!" is really non-sequitur here.
Sad truth: Prisons are big business in this country.
I wouldn't be shocked to hear the Sheriff got more money per inmate as well... can you identify another conflict of interest there?
The United States has more people in jail per capita than any other country on Earth. China, North Korea, Singapore, Turkey, Mexico, pick any country, they have a smaller percentage of their populace in prison.
Sad, really.
@Dj Butcher: This is also how for-profit prisons make money ... and one of the reasons that running essential government services through for-profit companies can get very dangerous and shady.
Because they start by cutting food to inmates (which periodically results in massive multi-million-dollar lawsuits against the state when we get to starvation levels), but the end up by cutting staff levels to "inadequate" ....
@evilghost: You're utterly ignorant about what's going on here. There are jails and there are prisons.
Jails are for lessor crimes such as misdemeanors and minor felonies with sentences no more than one year.
Prisons are where serious criminals such as rapists, thieves, murderers, child molesters are held.
Gee, here's a suggestion-
If prison is that terrible, why not OBEY THE LAW. Then you'll never have to go there!
Yes it's messed up what the sheriff is doing, but come on, people. Prison is not a damn resort where criminals go to live in comfort. They are institutions in place to DETER crime, and if prison life starts to NOT suck, then people will no longer fear going there enough to keep the devil on their shoulder in check. I'm GLAD prisons suck. I wouldn't want my rapist, robber, or someone who molested my child to be fed 3 hot meals a day & have more cable channels than I do. You go to prison to be PUNISHED, not PAMPERED. It comforts me to think of gang members, car thieves & murderers starving! They DESERVE it!!!
This is where leftism has brought us. We are actually SYMPATHIZING with CONVICTED CRIMINALS. Gah.
If this were a maximum security prison it would be one thing - but it isn't. Just as the Maricopa county jail in AZ, this is a case where individuals who are awaiting arraignment or are unable to come up with bail money are housed in conjunction with individuals convicted of crimes. Many of these people have not been found guilty of anything, and it is absolutely unconscionable that such practices are allowed to continue with few or no checks in place.
Respond to this:
Why are more people in jail per capita in the U.S. than anywhere else?
You either believe Americans are somehow predisposed to lives of crime...
or you acknowledge that we put WAY too many people in jail for too long, and don't have room for the few for whom we should throw away the key.
I for one do not feel sorry for them.
I have done jail time. It sucks.
I dont see why people who commited crimes should be given better health care, food, cable T.V. etc than most of the public has.
I think that you should suffer in jail, not be on a mini vacation.
I think jail should be like Denny's -- you do a little drunk driving and when you sober up you're going to need a good breakfast. Some grits and half an egg doesn't cut it after a night of endangering the public.
@evilghost: So all people in jail (not prison mind you) are guilty of their crimes? Even before they've had their trial? So you're comfortable with starving and innocent person? A regular Judge Dredd, you are.
I have the same problem with that a-hole Arizona Sheriff who treats people like garbage. Once they're convicted, I have a little less sympathy for them.
Who says he is NOT?
Even after more than 6 months into a Public Records request we citizens still do not know what he does with all the cash from his Baloney meals- maybe Cmmdr Fox had more than one re-election PAC for Joe.
Transparency and no conflicts of interest are a GOOD thing!
This is actually quite common. Our county has the same law. Quite silly actually, and they don't have to disclose to the public the amounts.