At the Lenawee County Jail in Michigan, “Hugs and Love” costs $55.99. “Hugs and Love.” This pre-assembled package is advertised as a chance to send a loved one “a gift bag full of their hometown snack favorites,” according to iCare’s online catalog.There’s often a variety of pre-made gift packs, like the “Heat and Eat” package sold by iCare, a program of the stadium and schools food service giant Aramark, that contains a quesadilla, soda and 10 packs of ramen noodles. (Food typically must be in hermetically-sealed and tamper-proof packages, which rules out most fresh options.) Most snacks and meals are heavily processed and packed with sugar, fat and sodium. Perhaps because prison meals often leave much to be desired, food tends to dominate care package offerings. It would be so nice to send a pair of socks or something I went and picked out for him.” “It’s hard to do that through the calls and brief visits. We don’t love their crime, but we love them,” says Julie Tyson of Morehead City, North Carolina, whose son is incarcerated in a state prison. The privatization of services at correctional facilities generally leaves prisoners and their families with fewer choices, forcing them to do business with certain vendors or go without, says Wanda Bertram, a spokesperson for the Prison Policy Initiative, a nonprofit that advocates for incarcerated people and their families and has conducted research on predatory practices in the prison and jail communication industry.Īlthough catalogs can contain hundreds of items, some relatives lament their inability to send a personalized gift. In its bid for the West Virginia contract, Union Supply Group, which oversees Union Supply Direct, projected that the state stood to earn about $95,000 in one year, based on a 17 percent commission of annual care package sales. Capital.Ĭompanies often offer their services at no charge to corrections agencies along with a share of the profits. Keefe is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of TKC Holdings, which is indirectly controlled by the Miami-based private equity firm H.I.G. Louis, Missouri, is comprised of several companies that provide services to prisons and jails nationwide, including care packages, commissary, video visitation and surveillance technology. Access Securepak had over 125 active custom package programs nationwide in 2014 and was the exclusive provider for 18 state departments of corrections. Keefe Commissary Network, which along with Access Securepak is part of Keefe Group, reported net sales of over $375 million from care package, commissary and technology programs in 2012, according to a 2014 contract proposal posted on the West Virginia state government website. Companies that offer care package programs often bundle additional services, such as phone and commissary, into one contract with a corrections agency. Prisoner care packages are part of a lucrative industry that provides a range of services to incarcerated people and their families. The Los Angeles County jails’ contract for care packages includes annual “gift packs” that are given to prisoners for free during the winter holiday season, complete with a card from the county.Īt least one program, Access Securepak, offers religious items, including the Bible, rosary beads and Allah pendants. Items are often contraband-proof, from sealed food pouches to clear electronics to pocketless sweatpants.įor the holidays, families can choose from seasonal products think red and green cream-filled Hostess cupcakes and peppermint Twinkies. In some facilities, that can mean no glass or metal containers or no personal hygiene products containing alcohol. Here’s how it works: Families shop from print and online catalogs supplied by care package companies. Those who want to send food, clothing and other gifts to incarcerated relatives – at any time of year – often must go through private vendors. To stop drugs and weapons from entering jails and prisons, many corrections agencies bar family members from mailing packages or bringing them during visits. It’s the holiday season, but many incarcerated Americans won’t get presents directly from home. This article looks at prison and jail package services supplied by private vendors – some of which, like Keefe, also provide commissary services. Note: PLN’s August 2018 cover story examined prison food and commissary services. Share: Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on G+ Share with emailīy Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge, The Marshall ProjectĮd.
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