Placer County Supervisors have voted to switch food service providers for the county jails and the new contract comes with a potential perk for prisoners.
Placer County is giving Maine-based Summit Food Services a five-year contract to provide the food for inmates. The deal allows family members to occasionally buy special meals for prisoners.
“They’re considered spirit lifting meals,” says Sheriff’s Captain Dave Powers. “It’s not an option they can have seven days a week. It’s an option they can have once a week for special occasions. For a birthday, Christmas, something like that…”
Upgraded food options might include something like a double cheeseburger or personal pizza.
Powers thinks it's a great idea for inmates.
“If they can still communicate and receive a gift from a family member outside of the facility, it’s going to improve their behavior,” Powers explains. “That’s been well documented.”
The board voted unanimously to approve the option on the recommendation of administrative services and the jail commander.
If inmates have good food, they don’t have as much to complain about,” says Supervisor Jim Holmes.