The Coalition for Carceral Nutrition is led by people ​experienced in public health and public policy with ​histories of incarceration. We aim to work with ​organizers and corrections agencies seeking to ​improve outcomes in the carceral nutrition space.

Our Mission

Improve nutrition in jails and prisons ​across the country to effect healthier ​and more cost-effective outcomes for ​all stakeholders.

Our Vision

Food in prisons and jails that promotes ​dignity and opportunity, that heals instead ​of harms. We envision a transformed ​carceral food system that intertwines ​health, sustainability, agency, cultural ​respect, and job skills training, in federal, ​state, local, youth, and tribal facilities ​across the country.

Our Objectives

• To improve the nutrition and health of incarcerated people
  
• Better food can lead to better public health and reentry outcomes.
  
• To center food as a source of opportunity
  
• More choice and vocational training improves reentry success.
  
• To reduce community health costs
  
• Jail and prison food is a hidden public health threat to taxpayers.
  
• To improve public safety and facility safety
  
• Feeding people decently and treating them with dignity improves work conditions.
  
• To raise public awareness of the contemptible state of jail and prison food
  
• Carceral nutrition currently harms all stakeholders.
  

Corrections agencies, ​policymakers

Procurement & supply ​chain constituents

Incarcerated people and ​their families

Public health, food security, ​carceral conditions, ​environmental advocates

Workforce providers, ​employers

Communities surrounding ​rural and urban carceral ​facilities, taxpayers

Information | Sharing

• Review of the field, baseline assessment
  
• State-by-state DOC food grades
• Assess food service at state and local corrections agencies
  
• Raise awareness of carceral nutrition’s impact on public health & environment
  
• Highlight & replicate best practices
  
• Promote “college dining hall” & “food is medicine” approaches
  

Coalition | Partnerships

• Convene stakeholders & food systems ​partners on local & state levels
  
• Develop industry partnerships in ​procurement & workforce
  
• Establish farmers market & grower ​partnerships
  
• Enable in-house cooking via chef & ​grower partnerships
  

Facility | Programmatic

• Initiate healthier menus
  
• Establish culinary, horticulture training, ​vertical farming programs
  
• Align officer & resident food service ​systems
  
• Separate commissary & kitchen operations
  
• Institute healthier commissary choices
  

For more information