Chapter 9
Money in Prison and Prison Money
People may
not realize the need for money in prison.
Although a person can survive without supplemental income from family and
friends it is a sparse existence.
It is a
serious offense for inmates to possess cash.
Instead money is electronically credited to a commissary account.
This money can be used to make phone calls, use e-mails, purchase stamps,
buy commissary items, and request Special Purchase Orders (SPO) to buy books or
hobby craft materials.
Money will
not be accepted at visitation.
Although the BOP states they will not accept money at self-surrender, they
usually do.
Money can
be added to an inmates account through the mail or Western Union.
Mail in Money
When
mailing money it’s quickest to use a postal money order.
Checks or other forms of money orders can take 2-4 weeks to get credited
to the account.
Des Moines Mailing Address
And how to make sure it get credited properly
Western Union
Western
Union charges a fee but the money is credited to the account in a few hours.
There are 3 ways:
Online
Online you
can send money through Western Union at their website,
www.westernunion.com.
Once there you need to go to “Make a Payment” not “Send Money.”
Select the state you are sending money from.
Then select the “Correctional Facility” option at the bottom of the short
list. Selecting Correctional
Facility will bring up an option to select a correctional facility, select
Federal Bureau of Prisons on that list.
If you are a new customer, fill out your personal information, then enter
your credit card or debit card information, and lastly enter the inmate’s name
and number.
Over the Phone
Western
Union’s toll free number is 1-800-325-6000.
If it is your first time calling Western Union, a representative will
come on the phone and collect your personal information; name and billing
information, then request the information of the inmate, be sure to have their
number ready. The billing city is always Washington D.C.
They will then send you to an automated process that will request your
credit card information. After that
the representative will come back on the phone, confirm your information and
then transfer the money. It usually
takes four hours after you finish the phone call to show up on the inmate’s
account.
In-Person
You will
need to use the Quick Collect Sheet at any local Western Union booth.
Remember to include the inmate’s first and last name, plus their number.
You are sending the money to Washington D.C.
FBOP. Western Union
stores does not accept credit cards, but does accept debit cards.
Why Do I Need Money?
The BOP
provides necessities like soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and razors.
The soap is harsh. The razors pull and drag rather than cut. The
toothpaste is from China and tastes terrible and the toothbrushes are very
flimsy. In all probability you’ll
eventually want to buy commercial quality products at the commissary.
Commissary
There is a
maximum of $290 that can be spent at the commissary each month.
It takes several months to get all the little creature comforts with this
spending cap.
Each inmate
is assigned one day per week to shop.
Miss that day for whatever reason and you are out of luck until the next
week.
Priority Items
Shower
shoes, deodorant, and shampoo plus other toiletries need to be purchased ASAP.
Shower shoes are especially important due to the heavy use and thus
unhygienic nature of the showers and bathroom area.
Leisure Attire
Thermals,
sweats, gym shorts and tennis shoes are next on the list of must haves.
Sleeping in just your underwear is highly frowned upon by the other
inmates. In fact, modesty is very much appreciated; no one wants to see you
strut your stuff.
You’ll
spend far more time in gym shorts and tennis shoes than your uniform.
Unless on duty or going to lunch most inmates are in casual attire.
At facilities that have air conditioning
you’ll want sweats and thermals while inside, even in the summer.
In theory the BOP keeps it cold to keep
tempers down. True or not there can
be 30+ degrees difference between inside and out.
Radio
A radio is
needed to listen to television since the speakers have been replaced with short
range FM transmitters. They do that
so there can be multiple televisions in one room. This is particularly nice if
you like to watch sports! Watching multiple televisions takes a little getting
used to, but once mastered creates a virtually commercial free environment.
Over The Counter Medications
Medicines
such as anti-diarrhea and cold medicines should be part of your locker
inventory. It is not like you can
pick them up at the all-night pharmacy.
The BOP no
longer provides aspirins or anti-acids.
If you suffer from heartburn or frequent headaches or aches and pains,
you’ll want a healthy supply of these as well.
Washing Powders
Laundry
detergent is needed if you decide to do your own laundry.
Most inmates do. The prison
laundry tosses the entire laundry bag (bag and all) in with everyone else’s.
They are tossed in the dryer the same way so the clothes in the middle of the
bag are rarely clean and fairly damp.
Eating In
Some
inmates spend a small fortune eating out of their lockers.
Rice, meats and other assorted meals are available at the commissary.
The dining hall food is far more nutrious and does not taste bad some
people just don’t want to stand in line.
Prices at
the commissary are equivalent to a corner convenience store or slightly higher.
The commissary has some name brand items and some generic brands.
Each facility chooses which items to carry and it changes often.
Prices also vary from place to place.
Telephone
Telephone
charges can run $18 -$69 a month is you use all 300 minutes.
Local calls are 6 cents a minute while lone distance calls are 23 cents a
minute.
Hints:
To save $51 a month have family get a
local number cell phone. Most
national companies allow a 2nd phone for only $9.99 a month.
E-Mail
It cost 5
cents a minute to read or compose emails.
It cost 15 cents per page if you want to print emails.
There are some inmates who spend more than $100 a month on emails.
Job Assignments
All
able-bodies inmates are required to have a job assignment.
Very few inmates work hard.
Some inmates choose positions that are busy like landscaping, while the dorm
orderly positions can work as little as 15 minutes a day.
Job
assignments are usually based on seniority.
You may get lucky and initially get a job to your liking or you can try
to transfer to something else later.
Don’t fret
over job assignments. There really
aren’t any terrible positions. Each
has its own advantages. For example
you’ll eat well if you have a kitchen job.
Dorm orderlies have a lot of free time.
How Much Do I Get Paid?
A GED tutor
at one facility can make $50 a month. The same position somewhere else pays $15.
It is all
calculated by the budget a facility has and the number of hours inmates are
credited for actually working. The pay rate is 12 cents to 42 cents per hour.
Some facilities may only pay for the hours reasonable expected to work
while other places pay for the maximum hours possible plus bonuses.
UBICOR is a
totally different animal. It pays well by prison standards but for the most part
the waiting list is very long.
Hustles
Hustles are
side services inmates provide to each other such as cutting hair or paying to
have laundry done.
Strictly by
the book, providing services, giving things to other inmates, or running a
business in prison is prohibited.
This is one of the many rules that is largely unenforced.
This
underground economy not only provides inmates with supplemental income but gives
a sense of pride and purpose. Some of these hustles pay many times what BOP
pays.
Black Market
Black
market items like alcohol, drugs, tobacco, gambling and prostitution are highly
profitable but they are also high risk.
One inmate
had 5 days to go before being released to the halfway house,
He was caught with a cell phone. This particular inmate had recently
completed the RDAP class so he was also getting an additional twelve months off
his sentence.
Not only
did he lose the twelve months off. He spent ninety days in the hole, transferred
from the camp to a low and lost 45 days good time.
Instead of getting six months halfway house he ended up with three
months. In all, he was imprisoned
almost 500 days longer! All over possession of a cell phone to talk to his
girlfriend.
Most new
arrivals stay away from the black market.
Some get slowly lured in for the money or the thrill.
If you have a family, think twice before dabbling in black market items
and services!
Gray Market Services
There are
many “prohibited” money making activities that the staff usually turns a blind
eye, unless someone crosses the line or there are a lot of complaints.
Prison
currency is usually in stamps or commissary items.
For larger purchases such as paintings, or expensive leather purses, they
may want you to have someone send money to a family member.
Expect to
pay higher prices in prison than you would for similar services on the street.
But then again you are a captive audience with limited choices.
At least you are helping a fellow inmate.
Kitchen/ Food Service Warehouse
By far the
best paying grey market hustle is those who boldly sneak food from the kitchen
or food service warehouse.
It is not
unusual to see flats of eggs (36 eggs per flat), cases of chicken, or boxes of
vegetables make their way to the dorms.
The risk
and degree of tolerance depends on the staff.
Some C.O.’s (Correctional Officers) will just give the kitchen help
leftovers or even fresh vegetables.
It is a way to keep good help.
Cutting Hair
A hair cut
at the facility barber shop is supposed to be free.
However tips are expected.
Cutting
hair is lucrative, but a cut throat business.
Customers are generally loyal and not really prone to go to another
Barber/Stylist.
A popular
barber lives like a king and is well connected to other opportunities.
Laundry and Ironing
This is
another highly profitable cut throat business with loyal followings. An
established launderer can make more than a good barber but works longer. There
is a constant line for the washers and dryers’ so contracting this out makes
sense.
Artists
Painters
and pencil drawing artists are expensive but most are amazingly good.
This is a fairly high demand service.
A life-like pencil drawing can go for more than $100.
Wood Craft/ Leather Craft
Not all
Facilities have Wood Craft or Leather Craft.
From
leather purses and belts to jewelry boxes, these skilled inmates do very well.
They have high expenses but a steady stream of customers.
Find unique
patterns before you report then have them mailed in when you get established.
Crochet
From
slippers to afghans, those that know how to crochet are particularly busy for
winter and Christmas. Learn to
crochet before you are to report. It passes time and can be done in your
cell/cube.
Sewing
Generally
sewing is not a highly profitable business but there is a need, even if it is
just for you.
Electronic repair
Not
everyone has the skills or tools to solder.
If you can do basic radio and headset repairs inmates will beat a path to
your cube/cell.
Typing
Don’t make
the mistake of doing this on the cheap of free.
From e-mail to legal correspondence there is high demand for touch
typists.
Chiropractor
You don’t
need a license to hang out a shingle for inmates.
If you can crack-a-back, you’ll have plenty patients. (And a full
Locker!)
Locker Store
Locker
stores sell sodas and candies from their dorm/cell block.
Most charge 2-for -1. So if you borrow one candy bar the storekeeper will
expect you to pay them back two on your commissary day.
Stores are
quite profitable if you are good at bookkeeping and collections.
Stores
provide much needed service.
Cube cleaning
This
service is good for neat people.
Some inmates can generate a comfortable, steady income.
Other Hustles
These are
only a few of the side businesses.
If you can get good at any of these (or many others) you can save your family
the need of sending in money. A
little bit here and there makes a big difference to them.