Cashed-up Townsville inmates spend $1.5 million behind bars in 2019 on prison canteen
Townsville prisoners spent more than $1.5M behind bars last year on snacks and luxury items in our three prisons. The most popular items have been revealed — and the top one may surprise you.
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Townsville Correctional Centre inmates spent more than $1.5 million behind bars last year on snacks and “luxury” items.
With a combined capacity of 1057 prisoners, Townsville Correctional Centre, Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre and Townsville low-security farms’ inmates spent $1,527,404 in 2019 in the prison canteen or “buy-ups”.
The 2019 sum was up from $1.462 million in 2018.
Queensland Corrective Services only supplies prisoners with basic clothing and food and the buy-up scheme allows them to order extra supplies and belongings.
Buy-ups are a part of the prison system of privileges and punishments.
Prisoners are able to buy stationery, toiletries, soups, noodles, biscuits, tinned food, chocolate, chips, nuts, beverages, confectionary, desk fans, batteries, watches and sunglasses.
Prisoners are also able to buy certain items not available from the buy-up list from an approved outside source including magazines, greeting cards, music and footwear.
Exclusive data obtained by the Townsville Bulletin reveals the most popular buy-up item for 2019 among Townsville male and female inmates was noodles.
Buy-up orders can be placed by prisoners every week or fortnight depending on the correctional centre.
A spokesman for Queensland Corrective Services said buy-up provided prisoners with provisions to survive on the inside.
“Buy-ups give prisoners access to basic items available in the community to ensure there is a level of normalisation while they are in prison.”
Prisoners pay for buy-up through their personal prison trust account that can hold up to $1000 at a time.
Townsville Correctional Centre male and female prisoners were paid just over $415,000 for their labour in the jail workshops in 2019.
Male and female prisoners were paid from $4.65-$7.75 a day for their work in the women’s linen service and men’s laundry, tailor shop and metal shop.
Workshop shifts on average are four hours with the majority of inmates working seven shifts a week.
Townsville prisoners received $1.3 million in external funds in 2019 up $100,000 from 2018. All profits from the buy-up scheme are reinvested into Queensland Corrective Services operations.
Originally published as Cashed-up Townsville inmates spend $1.5 million behind bars in 2019 on prison canteen