Federal prisons are now contracting Amazon to manage a delivery service for inmates, according to a recent announcement by the Correctional Service. Blacklock's Reporter says the initiative promises no additional cost to taxpayers, with all expenses covered by inmate funds."All items are purchased using inmate funds and are at zero cost to Canada," managers wrote in a contractors’ notice, Inmate Purchasing Plan. The program allows inmates to choose items from an eight-page list of permitted goods, which are then ordered by prison guards and delivered by Amazon suppliers.Under federal regulations, friends and family members of inmates are not allowed to deliver packages to those behind bars. The list of approved items includes T-shirts, Muslim prayer mats, desk fans, and radios."The Correctional Service’s objective is to ensure the same items are available to all inmates at standardized costs including delivery regardless of the institution’s location," the notice stated. Amazon is expected to deliver to 46 federal prisons nationwide."When inmates arrive at an institution they are provided with essential items and can have personal items sent in from the community during a specific time period at the beginning of their sentence," managers explained. "After this period, and throughout their sentence, inmates may purchase other items for personal use as long as they are consistent with Correctional Service internal directives, do not undermine rehabilitation efforts, do not pose a security or safety concern and finally do not exceed the allowable property value for each inmate."Electronics, shirts, and shoes are among the most popular items purchased by inmates, according to the Purchasing Plan. All costs are charged to convicts’ accounts at a federally-managed prison bank, the Inmate Trust Fund. Families can deposit cash into the penitentiary bank, but inmates are not allowed to use private bank accounts.Inmates saw their take-home pay increase for the first time since 1981 on September 1. Although cellblock wages remain fixed at a minimum of $1 to $6.90 per day, wardens waived 30% of fees and deductions for expenses such as telephone privileges."This provides offenders with more funds," the Correctional Service wrote in a March 5 submission to the Senate human rights committee. "Before an offender had approximately $4 left after deductions for food and accommodation (22%) and administration of the inmate telephone system (8%)."The Federal Court in a 2020 case emphasized that the prison pay system aims to "encourage offenders to budget their money" in anticipation of parole. "By providing an incentive to participate in programs identified in an offender’s correctional plan, it promotes the rehabilitation of offenders and their reintegration into the community as law-abiding citizens," wrote Justice John Norris."Even learning a skill as basic as being able to budget one’s money, including savings for release, can promote these objectives."
