Does the State provide for all the needs of the prisoners in its custody?
The State provides only the most essential needs for prisoners. They spend about $2.62 per prisoner per day for three meals that are prepared by prisoners under some staff supervision. The only clothing provided by the state is three sets of khaki work clothes and one pair of work boots, along with underclothing. Kitchen whites are provided for kitchen workers and on the yard gang prisoners are provided long underwear. Each prisoner is provided two blankets and one set of sheets. All personal clothing, such as blue jeans, tennis shoes, dress shirts, long johns, etc., must be purchased from outside vendors, with a 5% surcharge being paid to the canteen for handling the order. Also each prisoner, unless classified as indigent, must purchase at their own expense, all postage, cosmetics and supplemental food needed from the canteen.
