It's not news that Pennsylvania's Department of Imprisonment is dishonest. It's the only state agency where lying is official policy. The strange thing is that some persons are still taken in by the lies. We recently had to write to a prisoner at Camp Hill. The guy actually believed that the commission on commissary sales was only 5%. The Department of Imprisonment put the lie in writing, so the gullible prisoner accepted it. SUCKER! The prison is making as much as 28% on commissary sales. It uses the money to keep the prisoner locked down. He's paying the guards who abuse him! Trust nothing that the prison system says. Trust nothing that any official of the prison system says. They are liars! A case in point is the deception fed to Pennsylvania congressman Tim Holden. Mr. Holden is (generally speaking) a fine legislator, a Democrat who has genuine interest in ordinary people. We commend him to the voters. At the behest of Sandra Feigley, our publisher, Congressman Holden wrote to the Department of "Corrections" asking why another lucrative prison contract had been let to an out-of-state firm. A VERY questionable and disadvantageous deal had been given to American Food and Vending of Syracuse, New York. It got the vending machine concession to sell greatly overpriced foods in a prison visiting room. The contract allowed the contractor to cheat prison visitors who are among the poorest persons in the state out of huge sums. The contract was NOT in the interest of the visitors or the public. It discouraged visiting and helped to breakup families. A prison lackey, John T. Coyne who labeled himself "Director," answered the congressman. The smoke and mirrors were in full use. "Director" Coyne said in effect that the Department of imprisonment couldn't favor Pennsylvania firms in bidding for prison contracts. True enough, but misleading. We can find no evidence that there was any competitive bidding before American Food and Vending was given the lucrative contract. We can find no evidence that Joseph M. Dorzinsky, the flunky at the Frackville and Mahonoy state prisons who seems to have let the contract, even published a formal request for proposals ("RFP"). An RFP is the formal invitation to firms to bid on a state contract. This wasn't a situation where an out-of-state company had made a better bid and had fairly beaten out a Pennsylvania firm. It appears that Pennsylvania firms were never given a fair opportunity to make a bid. The Pennsylvania company which had previously held the contract said that they didn't know about the contract until after it had been let. Making the matter worse, was the deal for the pricing of the food. Department regulations limit the "commission" (that's the kickback to the prison) to a mere 5%. The contract with American Food and Vending has them kicking back 50% of "net sales" of "hot drinks" to the prison. Spend a buck for a cup of coffee and the prison gets 50¢! The kickback on cold drinks is 33%. Spend $1.50 for the cheapest soda and the prison gets 50¢ of it. It's the same kickback for milk and juice, or it would be if there was any milk or juice. There isn't. Kids who visit get only the same slop offered to their parents. The food is VERY unhealthful! The lowest kickback is on the greasy, salty sandwiches. For them, the kickback is 28%. Buy the cheapest sandwich for $2.75 and 77¢ is kicked back to the prison! Oh, if you want a dime bag of chips to go with the sandwich, it will cost you $2.00. Almost half a buck of that price is kicked back to the prison. It's obvious that money is at the root of the sweetheart deal with American Food and Vending. We wonder which officials, if any, are making personal profits from the deal. It's very suspicious. What we do know is that the Department of Imprisonment and its officials, especially its lawyers are dishonest. When they appear before the legislature, they lie. When they appear in court they lie. When they tell you something, they lie. Believe them not! The try to hide their lies by repeating their mantra. They always say that prisoners are lying. Always trust a prisoner's story over what a prison official tries to feed you. Rebecca's Bargain Antiques Collectible Vintage Photos Fine Prints - Old Maps Sheet Music - Old Books Elegant Antiques and Collectibles "Food is an important part of a balanced diet," Fran Lebowitz, 1978 You are welcome to use or re-publish any of our material. Please give www.prisoners.com credit as the source. Return to the Glimpse of Prison Life Menu. Return to the Main Menu. Go to our site Search Feature. Send us Your Comments, Questions or Input.