Analysis of the Canteen Operations and Related Areas at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman

• NCJ Number: 86313
• Author(s): S B Mowry; J A Barber; J L Yelverton; G Marlow
• Editor(s): A Ratcliff
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 71 pages
• Corporate Author: Mississippi Legislature
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report evaluates and suggests reforms in the canteen system at Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, whereby inmates are provided an avenue for purchasing personal necessities and certain luxuries.

Abstract

The Central Canteen is a small grocery store operation maintained by a manager and three full-time clerks. Each inmate unit also has a small canteen to provide snacks and approved items, such as deodorant and cigarettes, to the inmates. Although the General Canteen appears to be fulfilling its mission of serving inmates, it has neither been inventorying inmate canteens frequently enough nor dealing with inmate canteen averages and shortages consistently, and it has been receiving numerous insufficient-funds checks from inmates. The inmates' canteens have an adequate supply of goods on hand but are not using the official price list as the basis for their retail prices and have, in some cases, been unsanitary. Written policies and procedures should be established to govern the canteen system, and its internal controls should be strengthened. Other weakneses in the canteen system, as well as additional detailed recommendations are cited. Inventory data are included. (Author summary modified)