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Should edible food be a human right?
In prison, the food is so bad, inmates eat it only to live
By Pam Bailey
For most people, a high point of the winter holidays — actually, of life in general — is food. Think about it: So much of the way we socialize, mark special occasions and even comfort ourselves is centered on food. There’s a reason why certain dishes are called “comfort food,” after all.
But in jail and prison, says Anthony “Pete” Petty, “we basically eat to live. The food is that bad, both in taste and nutrition.”
Today, Pete walks free for the first time in 30 years; imprisoned since he was 16, he was granted reprieve by DC’s leadership law, the Incarceration Reduction Amendment act. One of the things he most looks forward to is his sister’s home cooking. What’s at the top of his request list? “Fish and chips,” he says immediately. “Or….wait, the meal I really want is breakfast. I want pancakes, real maple syrup, scrambled eggs with cheese and some turkey bacon, and some fresh orange juice. That’s what I want right there.” (Pete is starting from scratch to build a new life. Want to help set him up for success and happiness? Contribute to our “Help Pete Start a New Life” fund!)
Sure, pancakes are served in prison. “But they aren’t ‘real,” Pete tries to explain. “I don’t know what they do to them; they probably come in a box or something. Plus, they’re served cold.” (And forget real maple syrup, honey or anything else along those lines. Thinking they can be used to be distilled down into alcohol, they are banned in prison. The same applies to fresh fruit.)
Pete’s complaints are not just a spoiled “whine.” Impact Justice just released a reported titled, “Ending the Hidden Punishment of Food in Prison,” documenting that food behind bars is not just a quality-of-life issue, but also a serious contributor to ill health. According to the report, food in prisons and jails are “typically high in…
