What People Really Make (and Spend) Behind Bars
People in prison get "three hots and a cot," right? So, what do they need money for? A lot, it turns out.
Prisons typically provide the bare minimum when it comes to food, clothes and hygiene supplies. Many basics that most people regard as necessities, such as deodorant and shampoo, are often only available to people who can afford them.
But earning enough to afford these essentials from a prison job is nearly impossible: The average prison wage maxes out at 52 cents per hour, and many people make much less. In at least six states — Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas — most prisoners aren't paid at all for their labor.
To make up for paltry wages, people in prison often take part in a thriving underground economy of side hustles, such as bartering stamps or commissary items for everything from hand-drawn greeting cards to legal help.
The Marshall Project recently asked several incarcerated people to log the money they made and spent in a month, and to describe how they navigate the unique challenges of prison economics. Below are three of their stories.
Interviews and letters have been condensed and edited for length and clarity. Read the
