Cost per meal at Franklin County jail: only 83 cents
It costs taxpayers COLUMBUS — $2 million a year.
Some do not particularly like it.
Those who provide it say there is nothing wrong with it.
The Franklin County jail spent $2,073,195 in 2016 serving food at its two jail locations: 370 S. Front St., Downtown, and 2460 Jackson Pike on the South Side, known by law enforcement and offenders as “the Pike.” At 83 cents per meal, that would be around 2.5 million meals.
The food is carefully chosen and bid out several times per year, requiring vendors to compete to provide the best prices, said Chief Deputy Penny Perry of the Franklin County sheriff’s office, who is in charge of the jail.
On one recent day, she was responsible for feeding 2,100 inmates. That’s 6,300 meals in one day, costing $5,229.
Costs are reduced by preparing all food inside the jail, often with the help of “runners” — inmates who have behaved well enough to get the prime job in the jail because it gives them extra freedom.
Perry oversees feeding inmates three meals a day. To meet Ohio municipal-jail standards, they have to be provided with at least 2,400 calories daily.
“We have a dietitian review our menu,” Perry said, adding that accommodations have to be made for special diets and other food-related reasons including religion, health and vegetarianism.
“They get fed pretty well,” Perry said. “It’s good.”
Even the staff eats the food, Perry said. “They get the same kind of food that offenders eat.”
One of the most-popular meals on the menu, Perry said, is one 4-ounce hot dog with bun, an ounce of Coney sauce, an ounce of mustard and a half-cup each of coleslaw and fries.
“We started making our own French fries,” Perry said.
Other popular foods, Perry said, are grilled-cheese sandwiches, pizza, chili and chicken patties.
Not everyone gives jail food rave reviews.
“I gave it away,” said Bob, a 52-year-old sales manager, of the food he was given while spending three days in the Downtown jail.
Bob, who asked that his name not be used, was arrested in January and charged with mishandling a firearm in a car, plus three low-level drug charges. His case is pending.
During the three days he was in the jail, Bob said, he ate “maybe three” of the meals.
“Look, I didn’t expect to go in and get a gourmet meal,” Bob said.
“If they made it nice and comfy and warm and fuzzy, people wouldn’t mind being there.”
He also would like to see more abundant portions.
“You get a hot dog and a handful of chips. That’s a snack,” he said.