For many years the state prison at Frackville in Northeastern Pennsylvania had by far the worst commissary in the Commonwealth. It also had the worst administration and one of the worst staff of guards. During that time, one of the men from the prison wrote about the "prison store" as it was and is commonly called. Mr. Hawkins, the article's author explained the workings of the monopoly and the prices. Since first we published this article and commissary price list, there have been considerable changes in the system. When Pennsylvania's Department of Imprisonment ("DOC") realized how much money it could gouge out of prisoners and the loved ones who support the prisoners, it formed a Money Grab. A Money Grab is a Pennsylvania prison racket. It's a partnership between the DOC and greedy private vendors. In exchange for an unsavory monopoly, the private vendor kicks back a substantial "commission" (payoff) to the prison system and prison administrators. The results of the Money Grab are MUCH higher prices and much worse service. Ultimately, the higher prices are paid by the families and loved one of the prisoners, among the most impoverished persons in the state. In the case of the prison commissaries, the DOC granted a blanket monopoly to a firm using the name Keefe out of Saint Louis, Missouri. In exchange for a huge kickback, the DOC gives Keefe prisoner slave labor to process their orders and staff assistance and protection for the vendor from having to observe proper business practices. The days when the prison system provided essentials such as eatable means, underclothing and soap are long past in Pennsylvania. If a prisoner can't afford to buy junk food at the commissary, he/she goes hungry. If she/he can't afford to buy commissary socks and underpants, he/she must go without. What follows is the now-current list of essentials sold by the Pennsylvania prison commissaries. In addition to what we show here, the commissaries also sell shoes and clothing. In theory, the same things are available at each of the prisons. In practice, the women's prisons have a considerably different list and places such as Chester prison have a truncated list. What we are reproducing are scans made from the January 2009 list. Prices are very quickly increased and products changed. TV sets, for example are constantly changed so that the DOC can maximize profits for Keefee and for itself.

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