NDCS should increase pay for incarcerated workers
In NE, most incarcerated workers make a daily stipend of $1.21 while some few earn $2.25 and the very top pay is $3.75. That means most people in NDCS earn around $25/month and if they owe child support they may only receive $10/mo or less.
As NDCS does not provide personal hygiene item that $25/mo (or $10/mo) must cover all the necessities like soap ($.50-1), shampoo ($1.21-5.40), toothpaste ($1.15-5.20), and razors ($.82-3.05). These prices increase regularly and as of '19 incarcerated people must also purchase OTC medication like antibiotic ointment ($2.43), analgesics ($.98-2.85), allergy relief ($2.19-16.16), antacids ($3.24), or laxatives ($1.50-4.11).
Canteen prices increase regularly and now people have to buy their own OTC medications however the pay-rates for those in NDCS has not increased since 1993. In that time the Consumer Price Index has increased about 75%, reflected in increased canteen prices, but the pay that us in NDCS have to live off of has not increased at all.
It is about time that NDCS add a 25% increase (at least) for incarcerated worker's pay into their next budget which is submitted in the fall of 2019. Please write NDCS's director and your state senator to support a more suitable pay rate.