A prison commissary or canteen is a store within a

correctional facility In criminal justice, particularly in North America, correction, corrections, and correctional, are umbrella terms describing a variety of functions typically carried out by government agencies, and involving the punishment, treatment, and s ...

, from which inmates may purchase products such as hygiene items, snacks,

writing instrument A writing implement or writing instrument is an object used to produce writing. Writing consists of different figures, lines, and or forms. Most of these items can be also used for other functions such as painting, drawing and technical drawing, ...

s, etc. Typically inmates are not allowed to possess cash; instead, they make purchases through an account with funds from money contributed by friends, family members, etc., or earned as

wages A wage is payment made by an employer to an employee for work done in a specific period of time. Some examples of wage payments include compensatory payments such as ''minimum wage'', ''prevailing wage'', and ''yearly bonuses,'' and remuner ...

. Typically, prisons set a maximum limit of funds that can be spent by each inmate on commissary.

Items used as currency

Certain items tend to be used as currency by inmates.

Cigarette A cigarette is a narrow cylinder containing a combustible material, typically tobacco, that is rolled into thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end, causing it to smolder; the resulting smoke is orally inhaled via the opp ...

s were a classic

medium of exchange In economics, a medium of exchange is any item that is widely acceptable in exchange for goods and services. In modern economies, the most commonly used medium of exchange is currency. The origin of "mediums of exchange" in human societies is ass ...

, but in the wake of prison tobacco bans, a number of other prison commissary items have taken precedence. These include

postage stamp A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the fa ...

s and instant ramen noodles, which is also increasingly popular as a medium of exchange due to its versatility in prisons as food and its relative abundance. In some prisons, packets of

mackerel Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment. ...

fish or "macks" has also taken prominence as a currency, as it is priced closely with one

US Dollar The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

, and maintains stability by virtue of being rarely consumed.

Popular items

Spices A spice is a seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garni ...

, including those packaged with

instant ramen Instant noodles, or instant ramen, is a type of food consisting of noodles sold in a precooked and dried block with flavoring powder and/or seasoning oil. The dried noodle block was originally created by flash frying cooked noodles, and this is ...

noodles, are a popular item due to the often bland nature of

prison food Prison food is the term for meals served to prisoners while incarcerated in correctional institutions. While some prisons prepare their own food, many use staff from on-site catering companies. Some prisons support the dietary requirements of sp ...

. As prison budgets are cut in the US, ramen has become a popular commodity to supplement food needs. Packets of mackerel are another such item. These ingredients are often used by inmates to prepare meals, colloquially called " spreads". In both the United States and United Kingdom, electronic cigarettes are available in a small amount of jails.

History

In 1930, the

U.S. Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United State ...

authorized and established a commissary at each federal institution.

Operation

Some prison commissaries are staffed by government employees and inmates, while others have been completely privatized. Significant price markups are common in prison commissaries, although some prison systems set maximum markups; for instance, the

Delaware Department of Correction The Delaware Department of Correction is a state agency of Delaware that manages state prisons. It has its headquarters in the Central Administration Building in Dover. At one time the headquarters was located in Smyrna. Prisons * Delores J. B ...

has a 20% maximum markup. $100 million in purchases were made from Texas' prison system alone in 2009. Prison commissary is a privilege that is often taken away for infractions.

Items used as currency

Popular items

History

Operation

See also

References

Further reading