An Apple and Two Crackers

A friend of mine forwarded an article to me about county jails in Alabama. It seems that Alabama sheriffs may keep, for their personal use and pleasure, leftover food money after feeding prisoners at the county jails, the Alabama attorney general has ruled. The opinion, issued March 17, offered guidance on the controversial practice of sheriff's keeping whatever is left over from the $1.75 a day per prisoner the state of Alabama pays sheriffs to provide food in the jails.

The director of the Alabama Sheriffs Association praised the opinion and said it gives sheriffs incentive to wisely manage jail grocery costs. I can well imagine that this director praised the opinion since he stands to profit from it. I’ve spent some time in county jails, and I’ve tried to eat the food provided: baloney and cheese on white bread, or peanut butter on white bread. I don’t imagine the diet is much better in Alabama. The sheriffs probably get to take home some nice pocket change.

Timmons, executive director of the Alabama Sheriffs Association, said the extra income to the sheriff could be zero dollars because of rising grocery costs, or it could be tens of thousands of dollars in a year when the sheriff is able to find good deals. "You can't just give them an apple and two crackers. You got to give them a nourishing balanced meal," Timmons said. Last I checked baloney and cheese on white bread isn’t a nourishing, balanced meal. I’d rather have the apple and two crackers. Or better yet, let’s abolish jails, retire all the sheriffs, and find better ways for reconciliation and justice.