This week, we share a recent round table on e-carceration here in Bloomington. This event was part of a series across southern Indiana, as community members hurt by e-carceration and their families come together to discuss their experiences and work together to understand this complex web of social control. E-Carceration involves local jails, county governments, and for-profit shackle companies. There is a growing movement against e-carceration, and you can find more information on it at notbetterthanjail.org.

Locally, the Monroe County Jail was embroiled in controversy this week, after acknowledging that it would be forcing prisoners to prepare the holiday luncheon for county employees. Under public pressure, Jail Commander Crowe agreed to pay the prisoners $15 an hour rather compelling their labor for free. However, the pay will go straight into the prisoners’ commissary accounts. This means that the money will eventually be funneled back into county coffers, as prisoners spend it on steeply marked-up food and basic goods.