Alabama Promotes Dickensian Treatment of Inmates

Who thought this was a good idea?

Quote:

Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin wants a federal judge to let her keep as personal money any unspent funds that she receives for feeding inmates. Although Alabama sheriffs in general are allowed to keep leftover food fund money, the Morgan County Sheriff's Office has been excluded because of claims Franklin's predecessor underfed the inmates in his care. Franklin, who is embroiled in a legal battle with the Southern Center for Human Rights, is scheduled for a hearing at the federal courthouse in Decatur on Friday at 1:30 p.m. At that hearing, the sheriff's attorneys are expected to argue that a years-old consent decree in a lawsuit against the county does not apply to Franklin and she shouldn't be held in contempt. The decree says the Morgan County Sheriff must spend all food funds on inmate meals. The decree was issued in 2009 after Franklin's predecessor was jailed for contempt. Former Sheriff Greg Bartlett was dubbed "Sheriff Corndog" because he profited more than $200,000 while inmates ate corndogs twice a day for weeks. The consent decree stemmed from a 2001 lawsuit against the county and then-Sheriff Steve Crabbe by inmates decrying conditions inside the jail.

This policy seems designed to be abused.

via International Skeptics Forum http://ift.tt/2nIyStW