Should prisoner's get take out?
By ladym33
@ladym33 (10979)
United States
March 17, 2010 7:56am CST
I just read an article a few moments ago about a prison in Texas that is allowing inmates to order in take out from a web site. Some people think that, that is allowing the prisoners too much of a comfort of home. The prison gets a percentage of the money paid by the prisoner when the prisoner uses a specific web site to orderfrom this site so the prison thinks of this as a win, win. They didn't say all that they could get from the outside but hamburgers and fries, and pizza were mentioned. Keep in mind prisoners don't get paid all that much if they are on a work program, it is more like earning an allowance then a pay check, so the $8.99 cost is likely a lot for them and they probably have to save up to buy these take out meals. Personally I think occasionally as a treat for good behavior they should be able to do this, but it should not be all the time, and it should be thought of as a privelage and not a right.
What are your feelings about this?
2 people like this
13 responses
@edu4625 (188)
• United States
17 Mar 10
Well it seems to me that prisons and jails don't really solve the problem of crime. People are supposed to be rehabilitated in jail/prison but instead many of them become repeat violaters.
So I beleive that society has to come up with some other solution for ridding itself of crime.
But in the meantime I don't think it is a horrible thing to allow the inmates to order out food. They have the right to eat. Most institutional food is horrible so if it helps to make them happier which in the end might benefit the environment in the place I say go ahead.
It's not taking anything away from society and helps the economy. Now you do make a good point about inmates not having the income to really order out. Yet perhaps some of them will have family members who can do it for them and pay the price.
@GardenGerty (160626)
• United States
18 Mar 10
They do not really let family do things like that for the prisoners, that I know of. I can see where this is benefitting the facility twice over: 1. They get their cut for the percentage the prisoner orders. 2. It helps them come in under budget on the meals they are serving. A good average price per meal in jail is just pennies.If the prisoner pays for his own occasionally their costs go down.
@nonersays (3335)
• United States
17 Mar 10
No, I don't think prisoners should be allowed take out. I think prisons on a whole are too good for most of the people in them.
Our local news intervied a guy once who says he does petty crimes just to get locked up again, because its easier than having to live in the real world and work and earn room and board.
Our prisons are too much like a bed and breakfast that you never have to check out of.
Inmates, and SPECIALLY people in for violent crimes, murder, rape, child molestation, should be chained together and sent out to bust up rocks, or work as road crews. Hard labor befitting punishment.
In fact, I applaud the prison talked about at the following link (except for the denail of medical treatment to one prisoner. I think they should have their medical cared for, just not get to live an easier life than those on the outside busting their rumps to earn legally what many prisoners get for committing crimes)
@nonersays (3335)
• United States
17 Mar 10
Whoops, forget the link which was http://www.cnn.com/US/9907/27/tough.sheriff/
@GardenGerty (160626)
• United States
18 Mar 10
I do not see that it is any different from having every privilege taken away and then sold back to them through the prison canteen. It is still taking a profit from them. In jail or in prison, the inmates have to use the phone cards sold there, and the envelopes and stamps sold there, and they are all sold to the prisoner at a profit. Same for toothpaste, tooth brushes, and deodorants.If someone has actually worked to earn money it should be theirs to spend on whatever. I guess I feel like this is less exploitative of the prisoners than other things.
1 person likes this
@chiyosan (30184)
• Philippines
1 Jul 12
i am sure if the prisoners are able to save money from what they are earning inside the prison and the prison itself see no harm in allowing them for take outs then so be it. it makes no difference at all as to these inmates family bringing food for them, right? if they can pay for it, then i think it is quite alright so long as the prison earns too and it helps for the maintenance of the facilities they have within the compound.
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
28 Mar 10
hhmmm....first I am hearing of this.
I don't know what to think.
You are right, they don't make much money with the exception of those who are able to get the minimum wage jobs.
Now, my opinion.....it's not that much different than being able to buy coffee, Ramen Noodles, etc from the canteen.
Marsha
@gwoman2 (710)
• United States
17 Mar 10
Hi Ladym33,
I personally don't think they should have this privilege, good behavior or not.
They are incarcerated for a reason and they should do their time without any perks!
Whatever their crime, they must understand that it was just that, a crime, so why be rewarded at all? What kind of punishment is that?
I respectfully decline to be linient with criminals...there's one of the reasons why crime continues...when they get out they're worse than when they went in and why not? "It's not that bad" they say to themselves...our criminal justice system makes me sick, UGH!!
~G~
@momtrying2makeit (3270)
• United States
17 Mar 10
Would you feel different about this if you or a loved one is in prison? I think if you have never had someone locked up than you would know little baout how many rights they lose when they are in jail or prison. To me I feel that you have a right to your opinion however I just hope for you that no one you love ever gets locked up.
@gwoman2 (710)
• United States
17 Mar 10
Hello Ms. Momtrying2makeit,
actually I've had many, many friends and family members in jail and that still doesn't change my opinion...it is what it is and there's no changing it.
When a person commits a crime they are a criminal and if they're caught they should not get any special treatment..."If you can't do the time, don't do the crime"...Today our justice system is way to soft on criminals...it should be the way it was at one time...bread and water, locked up in a cave...The Count of Monte Christo!! Now that's a deterring punishment! So Ms. Mom, please don't judge a person by what they write...you never know.
~G~
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
18 Mar 10
You both make good points. I think part of the problem with with the prison system is that when the prisoners get released there is nothing good for them to do. Nobody wants to hire them, they are usually uneducated and have no way of making a decent living legitamittely so that go back to what they know and return to crime. That is a good deal of the problem. But possibly if there were worse punishiments and it was more scary to convicted of a crime then more criminals would not chance it. I always liked the idea of the punishment fitting the crime at least in the case of rape. Countries where they chop thieves fingers off have very little thiefs. But I think they need to learn they are worthy human beings who are worth a second chance if they were truly to desire change.
2 people like this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
22 Mar 10
I think that rather than letting one inmate order a pizza and possibly cause jealousy problems in the prison, the prison should have one day a month where all the inmates get pizza as their dinner...not ordered pizza but rather the kind they serve in schools and stuff. At least that way, everyone would be getting a treat.
[b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~
**STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**[/b]
@animegirl334 (3263)
• United States
23 Mar 10
I think it's a nice reward for prisoners if they are on good behavior. It's not like if they can have fast food they are not in jail anymore but it could promote good behavior.
@hmkoct5 (2065)
• United States
23 Mar 10
Wow, I have never heard of this kind of thing. It seems a little strange to me. I know the prisoners are paying for this food themselves, but it seems like a perk to me. I don't think prisoners should get perks. They are in prison for a reason. I guess if it is going to happen, it is good that the money goes back to the prison system. I know they are very strapped financially.
@momtrying2makeit (3270)
• United States
17 Mar 10
I have a loved one that has been in prison and I feel they should be able to do this. I mean if they are working in there and have money to spend on a nice fast food meal once in awhile why not? I think they get most of their rights taken anyway so why not be able to have a treat once in awhile. I know they are doing time for something they did wrong but I mean why should they have to not be able to spend their money on some different food. Those are my thoughts on it. Happy mylotting to you as well.
@macdingolinger (10386)
• United States
17 Mar 10
It's just not right. They are in prison for a reason. They should have to be true prisoners, serve their time and then get out and back to life's general privileges. So many people send them money, they can have funds. It's rough on the ones who do not have someone to support them though.
@hvedra (1619)
•
17 Mar 10
Is junk food a privilidge? If the prison-industrial complex has found yet another way to make money out of the incarcerated then it will be allowed.
It might help the local economy and those employed by the fast food places.
It's a pretty small thing considering the "work programmes" are just a way to have stuff made even cheaper than in sweatshops in china. The whole system is screwy and this is a drop in the ocean
@vivihu (24)
• China
18 Mar 10
I think the businessmen will be happy if they could find a new group of customers in prison, which may let our global economic recovery quickly.
But if we allow the prisoners get any take out frequently, prison could face some problems in safty, for you won't know what would be contained in a pie or something else. And if a prison cannot limit the prisoners, it will become a new version of shopping mall but a publice sector working for pulic safety.
I advice the prison could try to get benefit from this kind of trading and invest them in safety improvement, which means more the prisoners pays, the stronger the prison is.
Just for kidding, if Michael Scofield's prison opened this service, do you think what he will order to make the program for the breaking?
