Dear Friend of Justice,
I just came upon this post at the Real Cost of Prisons blog: http://realcostofprisons.org/blog/archives/2010/05/ma_house_passes.html
The Massachusetts House has passed a bill to authorize a charge of up to $5 a day for Massachusetts prisoners.
Even the few prisoners lucky enough to have jobs don’t make as much as $5 a day. The burden would fall on the family and friends of prisoners, most of whom could ill afford to pay such an outrageous fee. If I had to pay $5 a day for every prisoner I’m supporting I’d have to give up eating.
This bill has not yet become law. I hope Massachusetts residents will complain to the idiots who voted for this. Members of the Senate and Governor Patrick need to be contacted as well.
-Bob Chatelle