Paying More, Getting Less.

Hi, folks!
Here's a short thought set:

• In 2023, our commissary prices in our privately run prison went up twice, thanks to the Keefe Commissary Network.
• In October 2023, inmates in State Run Prisons who have gone the last three months without a disciplinary report ('DR') now get an extra 15-minute free phone call once a month in addition to the weekly five minute free call that we all get. This free call is funded by the money inmates spend on phone calls and commissary. Privately run prisons are excluded from the free 15-minute call.

So, every time I buy a $2.98 bag of rice or $3.00 refried beans, my people are helping to subsidize a 'free' phone call for someone else who is disciplinary report free in a state run prison, but those of us here cannot reap the benefits of our own good behaviour.

Is this still somehow not tantamount to an illicit tax on my loved ones?

Above is our commissary ('canteen') price list from October 2023 -- despite the date band reading August, this was updated in October with some of the elevated pricing; it still has some errors, like the price of postage -- we pay real world prices on US Postal Service stamps, no discounts.

Still, it remains that our pricing, which they proudly proclaim,

We engaged an independent, third-party to establish "Fair Market Value" pricing, to ensure that prices offered to the population resemble the pricing typically found in retail locations selling similar single serve items.
... is gas station plus pricing, where the gas station is right at the off-ramp of the Interstate, then pushed up even further.

I wrap this with the sound of $2.80 4 oz. sleeves of generic brand saltines going stale on the shelves; there's ridiculous, and then there's straight up price gouging, which is apparently allowed in prison.

Shame, once more, upon a broken system.

Thanks again for reading and sharing. 👋🏾