Prices slashed at Jail

A new commissary price list shows that prices have been slashed at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department jail in Woodstock, Ill., but they are still above guidelines set by law by the State legislature. To say it more plainly, the prices are unlawful.

The first price list of Stellar Corp., the new vendor to the jail, showed a price to prisoners of $3.63 for a 15 oz. bottle of VO5 shampoo. The same bottle could be purchased at Jewel-Osco for $0.99. Stellar's new price to prisoners? $2.67. This is a 26% price cut.

And Ramen noodles? Initial price was $0.78. Now? $0.61. That's a price cut of 21%. However, the price is still well above the $0.25/package price at Jewel recently.

Here's what State law says: "Prices charged detainees (inmates, prisoners) shall not exceed those for the same articles sold in local community stores...)" What is not clear about that? The key word is shall, as in "shall not exceed".

Keith Nygren was more than a little upset when I mentioned this price-gouging at the interviews with the Northwest Herald editorial board. He demanded to know who gave me the previous price list.

Good try, Keith. As I said then and say again, "It doesn't matter." The jail and the Sheriff's Dept. got caught with its pants down. Who at the Sheriff's Department approved the contract with Stellar Corp. and allowed a price list that violates State law?

AND who at the Sheriff's Department approved the "new" price list, which still violates State law?

Nygren said that a vendor is allowed to make a profit. Maybe Stellar Corp. ought to buy its VO5 shampoo at Jewel! If it paid $0.99 for a bottle of shampoo and sold it to the prisoners for $2.67, its profit would be 170%. That is more than a little over the 25% profit that Nygren said is allowed to a vendor.

If Stellar Corp. bought VO5 shampoo at Jewel for $0.99 and marked it up 25%, then the price to prisoners would be $1.25.

Keith, if you don't want a lawsuit against the County and the Jail, shouldn't you be twisting some arms at Stellar Corp. for a price list that does not violate State law?