Missouri’s Prison Food To Be Outsourced

The prison-services privatization push under Republican Governor Mike Parson continues with the outsourcing of food service at Missouri’s 20 state-operated prisons.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Philadelphia-based Aramark was recently awarded a $45-point-7 million, five-year contract.

In the past state employees prepared and served food to roughly 22-thousand state inmates.

The report says it will actually result in a slightly higher cost to taxpayers but the company says its bid takes into account high inflation and low staffing levels that have plagued hiring in the state prison system.

The Department of Corrections would  not comment on the new contract saying it is  under a mandatory review period.. Last year, the agency outsourced inmate mail service and phone service.