Paying for Meal in Jail

Sheriff Joe, America Favorite Sheriff, has decides to make inmates pay for food in jail. Now, last time, I checked it was the county responsibility to pay for meals in jail. Now for a guy at my income level, I can easily afford to pay for own food in jail.   An article on Tampa Bay 10 states

“Phoenix, Arizona – Maricopa County jail inmates will start paying for their own meals beginning in January under a policy Sheriff Joe Arpaio revealed last week.

The move could save taxpayers more than $900,000 each year in food costs, if the Sheriff’s Office’s early estimates are accurate.

The policy would charge inmates $1.25 per day for their meals. It would apply only to those inmates who have money in personal accounts or “on their books.” Arpaio estimated that about 2,000 of the nearly 10,000 inmates in the system will end up paying for food each day. Those who can’t afford to pay will still receive food, but Arpaio said prison officials will track their free meals.

Inmates can accrue money in their accounts in two ways. If they’re carrying cash when they are arrested, it goes into an account. Later, friends and relatives can send them money.”

I guess this shows how bad the state of American economy is when you have to pay for food in the local county jail