Missouri Prison Reform received the following message from a resident of a Missouri prison. Some edits were made for clarity.
Hello, here is the new method that MODOC is using to deny offenders from having recreation. So, now when there is a heat index over a 100° then we are not allowed to go to recreation. For years, we would always be allowed outside. Even when it meant we could only walk around, no basketball, no baseball, no handball or no running the track, so, when you think about this new method and the actual reasoning for doing such a thing is only because MDOC does not have staff. And because they don’t want to allow offenders outside. We have already lost 40% of our recreation due to the common excuse that the institution lacks the staff. We lose recreation due to false prolonged three- or four-hour counts. So, now MDOC believes that because there is a heat index all recreation will be canceled, I have been in prison 35 years, never happened before. Also, the new food service has a serious problem with Bologna. We have been served Bologna in 16 different meals in the last 14 days, what is the purpose for serving so much Bologna? Because they get it cheap. So, they lied about serving a diet-based menu with a certain number of calories. They also lied about a good variety. And their salads are terrible, most times just shredded dried coleslaw. Soup is 90% water, but they do make an effort to provide some color, lol. I guess July 4th meal is fish, beans, changes, go figure. Haha but that’s the issues were dealing with right now- Ronald Fox
