Summary
The article discusses how inmates at New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) must engage in small trades, known as "hustles," to supplement their low prison wages and afford basic needs. Prisoners at NJSP earn very little for their work, forcing many to create a secondary economy inside the prison. This economy includes activities like sewing clothes for stamps, which are used as currency among inmates.
Key Facts
- Inmates at NJSP earn as little as $0.86 per day, with some states paying prisoners nothing for certain jobs.
- The Department of Corrections has a budget running in the billions, yet prisoners earn only enough for basic needs.
- The pricing at prison commissaries can be much higher than outside prices, sometimes with a 600% markup.
- Inmates create a "hustle" economy to survive, trading services like tailoring for stamps, which act as currency.
- Jack, an inmate, sews and repairs clothes for stamps to afford basic necessities like bottled water.
- Prisoners often need to support themselves and their families, with some earning more through hustles than their assigned jobs.
- Inmates have limited opportunities to purchase items, with restrictions on how much and how often they can order from the commissary.
