In a recent hearing on the Wyoming Department of Corrections (DOC) budget, Wyoming Senator Jim Anderson asked DOC Director Bob Lampert about the letters he and other senators receive from incarcerated people describing lack of access to needed medicine. Lampert’s reply? “Our population tends to be drug seeking.”

The Joint Appropriations Committee is considering a $228.7 million request for the Wyoming Department of Corrections for the 2007-2008 biennium. Budget costs for medical services increased 13% for 2007 and 9.5% for 2008 to pay a private company, Prison Health Services, who also provide mental health services.

Food costs increased in the budget by 10%. Part of that increase was a general cost increase and part is due to a new diet plan for the Wyoming Women’s Center. In combination with encouraging more exercise, the DOC will change the menus at the women’s prison to include more healthy items like fresh vegetables and low-fat meat. The DOC hopes that by spending more on healthier food, they can save money on medical costs from diet-related health problems.

The budget request also included $18 million for a plan to more than double the women’s prison from 125 to 286 women.

This news brief is based on an article from the Casper Star-Tribune Women’s Prison: Good-bye Macaroni, Hello Broccoli [1]. If this link is broken, please check their archive.