Prison inmates, especially in states like Michigan where they have no rights or say in their diet or care are sickened over long period of time during which they are denied clean water, healthy food and access to safe, over the counter natural health products, supplements, herbs, spices, teas, etc, Thus we see an epidemic of diabetes, cancer, lung and heart disease , obesity and high blood pressure as well as rampant drug use, violence and mental health issues which have proven connections to diet and health in general. While there are many good guidelines for diet from for example the USDA, prisons are not required to follow them, so in Michigan for example, where the USDA and many medical organizations have warned about the dangers of eating processed meats, prisoners receive ONLY processed meats! Between 2007 & 2009, the Michigan Department of Corrections REMOVED virtually all fruits, vegetable, spices, herbs, dried fruits, eggs, nuts and REAL meat from the diet. At the same time, they not only BLOCKED access to the purchase of health foods, supplements and natural products from vendors and in the prison stores (commissaries), but they MANDATED the sale of over 200 high-fat, high sugar, processed “junk foods” which they profit from through kickbacks and exhorbitant prices. There was no “security” or “budgetary” excuse given for these heinous and knowingly harmful actions. Since then, inmate illness, drug use and violence have skyrocketed! I have waged a ten year, fruitless campaign to at least secure the return of the right for inmates to pay for their own natural and health care items which every governor (Granholm, Snyder & Whitmer) has refused as have all their appointed directors. Not only have these actions not ‘saved’ money, but they have cost millions and millions more in health care and related expenses, pain, suffering, loss and even disability and death not to mention the security issues attendant to all of this,
The Prisoner’s Right to Healthful Nutrition Mandate
(Or Similar Title)
I would respectfully submit that:
A) Prisoners have a right to clean, filtered water and healthy food both in their meal halls and prisoner commissaries. This food and these meals should contain ALL the vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber and health essentials that have been determined to be necessary and needed for human health and which are completely absent in the MDOC and likely many other county jails and prisons across the country.
B) Prisoners have a fundamental right to choose natural alternatives to supplement their diet or to allow them to get or self provide care without dangerous drugs and ineffective surgery for their medical needs in line with their personal and religious beliefs and similar to President Trump’s wonderful “Right to Try” Act.
C) Prisoners should have the right to safe hygiene items and daily use items. Presently, they are only allowed items that seriously endanger their health such as cups and bowls with known toxins and carcinogens (BPH, PFAS,), cosmetics and body hygiene items made with Aluminum, Antifreeze (Polyethylene Glycols, etc). While safe alternatives are available everywhere, they are not allowed in the MDOC, even with the well documented and known risks posed by the only items permitted to prisoners.
D) Prisoners should be allowed to once more have friends and family send them HEALTHY food items, supplements and natural consumables both for their health and for their medical use or for medical needs. These of course would be restricted to safe, healthy foods and non-drug, over-the-counter items that are sold without restrictions (like joint compounds for arthritis and joint disease, very common in prisons and almost never treated properly).
E) Prisoners should not have to pay any more than the public for the exact same items, when sold in prisoner stores. Inmates in Michigan for example, often make as little as $25 a MONTH for a FULL TIME job and cannot afford the few health items allowed in the commissaries and being deprived in their dining halls they are forced to resort to buying less expensive and incredibly unhealthy “junk” foods like pies, cakes, cookies, ramen soups, candy, etc to subsist or supplement their already terrible diets.
Summation:
I believe implementation of such a rule or requirement would not only not cost the states, jails or prison systems a DIME in added expenses, but will save HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars in annual health care costs, will improve prisoners’ physical and mental health, will reduce violence and drug use, will improve their self-esteem and better aid them in healing from the damage of the lifestyle that led them to these places as well as better prepare them for their return to the “free-world”.
While I would love to see a rapidly passed and implemented Act or Bill to address these issues in detail and ensure they are not undercut by a future administration, this might not be required. As states receive often significant levels of federal funding for prisons and jails, I believe this rule could be simply implemented via a mandated tied to said funding or perhaps an Executive Order from the President or an overseeing Federal Agency such as the USDA.
I sincerely believe this would be a win-win for the American People on many levels and I sincerely appreciate the chance to submit this and for this wonderful program!