Individuals detained in San Francisco prisons are provided with basic toiletries, but can also use funds sent by family members to purchase additional items from the commissioner. About a third of the prison population receives no outside assistance, according to the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department.
A $ 10 monthly allowance doesn’t seem like much, but those funds can actually make a world of difference, said Paul Briley, a policy officer with the Legal Department for Prisoners with Children.
“While I was imprisoned, I had no one to put money in my books,” he said. “From what I’ve heard from people, this would mean the world to them. They have no support, they are lonely. You could buy good deodorant. I heard a person say they could buy slippers in the shower. “
The program was funded by the Financial Justice Project, an organization the city launched in 2016 to help reduce the impact of fees and fines on low-income residents and color communities. It builds on previous efforts in San Francisco to ease the financial burden on people in custody.
In July 2020, San Francisco regulators passed the People Over Profits Ordinance, which banned city jails from charging excessive charges for phone calls, police articles, and other services. The legislation made phone calls in prisons free and cut the price of commissioner’s articles by an average of 43%.
And while this was an important change, Briley said, buying things from the commissioner didn’t help people who still lacked the money. This inequality was particularly evident during the pandemic when many detainees were unable to purchase essential toiletries, leading proponents to push for the allowance.
