Word Processors For Prisoners?
Before coming to prison I had never used a typewriter. I had seen them in movies, on TV, even my Dad’s office had one for filling out forms, but I had never used one. This is because I’m 26 years old and for the past 15 to 20 years word processors have ruled the data processing field.
Sadly, this is not the case in America’s prisons. Here at FCI Petersburg, a medium security federal prison in Petersburg, Virginia which has an inmate population of 1,835 inmates, there are a total of 9 typewriters, 3 of which are significantly in need of repair or replacement. In order to operate any of the 6 fully-operable typewriters, an inmate must purchase required supplies. This amounts to around $35 in initial supplies, plus an additional $7.75 per week in ribbon costs, too, for those who type as much as I do.
Outside of prison, $7.75 or even $35 is not a huge deal. But when the inmate only makes $5.25 per month, it is a huge obstacle. In fact, it can be cost prohibitive. Thus enters the question of word processors for inmates.
