(2024-04-17) Locked In Priced Out How Prison Commissary Pricegouging Preys On The Incarcerated

The Appeal: Locked In, Priced Out: How Prison Commissary Price-Gouging Preys on the Incarcerated. Today, The Appeal published Locked In, Priced Out, a project that includes a first-of-its-kind database of prison commissary lists from 46 states. This project also examines the availability, prices, and markups of products across several categories, including food, hygiene, and religious items.

The Appeal’s investigation reveals that incarcerated people in many states are charged significantly more for essential items than those outside prison even though they typically earn pennies an hour—or no wages at all. The Appeal found prison prices up to five times higher than in the community and markups as high as 600 percent

While prisons provide three meals a day, incarcerated people across the country regularly report being served inedible food in child-sized portions. As The Appeal has previously documented, this includes complaints of spoiled and rotten food and roaches on meal trays.

To supplement the meals provided, incarcerated people turn to the commissary to purchase food items like snacks, canned vegetables and meat, microwavable meals, beverages, desserts, and condiments

Some of the highest-priced ramen in the country was sold at commissaries run by Keefe Group, which is controlled by the private equity firm HIG Capital. HIG’s portfolio also includes the for-profit corrections healthcare company Wellpath and prison dining company Trinity Services Group.

Imprisoned people have also alleged that Trinity Services Group serves meager portions of inedible food. Keefe Group did not respond to requests for comment.

In Florida, for instance, a five-year $175 million contract with the for-profit company Keefe Group gives the Department of Corrections a 35.6 percent commission on all marked-up items.

Illinois has long had a state statute capping prison commissary markups at 35 percent for tobacco products and 25 percent for other products. And last year, several other states began to reign in the practice of high markups.