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The article reports on the efforts by the food service industry to help U.S. prisons and jails deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include the move by the JonesZylon Co. to deliver meals to housing units rather than in cafeterias, FWE Co. Inc.'s modification to products like tray delivery carts to meet in-cell feeding services, and Vistar Corrections' efforts to distribute food and non-food products to correctional commissaries and food service operations.

The article offers information on the virtual annual international food service professionals' conference and vendor show organized by Association of Correctional Food Service Affiliates on September 12 to 14. It mentions several vendors and participated in the show with their products including Trinity service group, and JonesZylon.

The article focuses on how cost cutting can affect the food service operations of correction institutions and the things to consider by administrators to address the potential implications of budget cuts. Topics include the important role of well-trained food service personnel, the need to create inmate meals that can reduce food costs and comply with nutritional regulations, and the use of Aggregated Menu Power food-cost reducer.

The article looks at the projects initiated by Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) to address the problem of food waste. An overview of the institutional and correctional facilities operated by VADOC is given, along with the waste generated in each facility and the food stream that flows through agribusiness, food services, and environmental service. The first project of VADOC involves the installation of a compost unit, while a food dehydrator was piloted for the second project.

The article presents information on the economical, environmentally sustainable management of food scrap (FS) in the correctional facilities in the U.S. in response to the groeing population of prisons and the disposal costs. Topics discussed include the recovery audit for FS, technology that can process FS, and food recovery protocol.

The article reports on the job training programs offered at the Philadelphia Correctional Industries (PhilaCor) in Pennsylvania. Topics discussed include development of Culinary Arts Program (CAP) that involves the preparation of food for lobby sales at the prison restaurant Hard Time Café; partnership of CAP with a correctional food vendor providing ServSafe training and certification; and instruction by experts from the television show "Master Chef" to the workers on food preparation.

In this article, the authors discuss efforts of the U.S. Department of Justice to promote expanded work programs and the evolution of the jails during their work at the Jails Division at the US National Institute of Corrections (NIC). Topics discussed include the promotion of jail work and industries programs through the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) project; employment of inmates for food service, cleaning, and laundry at jails; and Improving work product management and accounting.

The article focuses on the inmates employment and the food services offered at the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center (LPCC) in Lafayette, Louisiana. Topics discussed include accreditation of LPCC with American Correctional Association (ACA) and National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), the concept of the book "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen at LPCC and development of employee evaluation process for inmate workers.

The article focuses on the food safety issues at the Santa Clara County, California jail facilities, managed by the Office of the Sheriff Custody Bureau. Topics discussed include factors contributing in contamination of food such as inadequate cleaning, and contamination through pathogens; guidance provided by food service staff to inmate workers for mandatory food safety practices; and partnership of the food service unit with Mission College to provide ServSafe certification for inmates.

The article offers information on the National Correctional Officers and Employees Week which was observed by several agencies of the U.S. in May 2014. Topics discussed include cooking dinner and preparing hamburgers by the jail services at the Ada County Sheriff's Office in Boise, Idaho, honoring correctional staffs at the Collier County Sheriff's Office in Naples, Florida for their efforts in fulfilling their duty, and organizing award ceremony at the Dale County Jail in Ozark, Alabama.

The article reports on the partnership of the Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC) with food service provider Aramark Correctional Services LLC and medical provider Correctional Medical Services Inc. for the development of a low sodium and cholesterol menu in October 2009. It highlights the factors that they considered for the said initiative including healthier selections, nutrition, and cost. It notes that the IDOC also paid attention to the health and wellness programs of inmates.

The article previews new products for the corrections foodservice equipment market including Computrition Food Service Management Systems, Cambro's Combo Cart Plus Electric model holding cabinet and Cambro's UPC180 Ultra Plan Carrier.

The article offers information on the legal prose of the U.S. District Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. regarding the four lawsuits findings in penal system of Alabama. Judge Johnson commands that the Alabama's prisons and other penal facilities must meet the set of standards which include the weekly change of bed linens, three nutritious meals, and basic educational programs. He appointed a 39-member human rights committee and a full-time consultant as a defacto superintendent to ensure the orders application. Governor George C. Wallace and state officials will be liable if they failed to enforce the directives. Alvin Bronstien of the American Civil Liberties Union's national prison project predicts that the Johnson's standard can never meet by the two of the state's four biggest prisons.

The article discusses the importance of an efficient menu planning in prisons and jails and the use of food as an incentive for good behavior. A vegetable garden program reportedly makes the menu more creative with improved recipes. Through kitchen inmate training, the power of food is said to motivate inmates to learn the essentials of food safety and sanitation, simple recipes and basic culinary skills. A sample of a daily menu is also offered.

The article focuses on the meal and tobacco policies of prisons with diverse religious belief in the U.S. In the growing diversity of prisons in the country which is mostly dominated by Christians, several religious minorities are calling for respect in their religious values in terms of meals serve in the prison and for some, the right to use tobacco. As these events raises the issue of religious discrimination in prisons, the author suggests that no religious belief should be given preference.

The article focuses on the food service in jails that must comply with policies and standards. It is the Food Service Director or Registered Dietitian who is responsible for the day-to-day operations with regard to food service. There is variation in food service standards for jails per state and per institution. Accrediting agencies for food service include the American Correctional Institution.

The article focuses on a study by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) about U.S. prisons and vegan food. PETA studied menus in every state system and produced a scale that ranks the state institutions that have the most options for vegan prisoners. Article topics include the benefits of a vegan diet in prisons and criticism from victims' rights groups about prisoners eating healthier than non-prisoners.

The article discusses the challenges facing the corrections foodservice segment in the U.S. Foodservice operations at this segment are reportedly faced with state and federal budget constraints with the increasing prison population in the U.S. Several prison facilities across the country are also cutting costs on food purchasing and equipment use to keep a rein on spending. A list of key equipment for corrections foodservice is provided.

The article reports on the protests staged by inmates in several prison facilities in the U.S. as of late-April 1952. In New Jersey, inmates August Doak and William Dickens led the revolt in the state prison facility in Trenton. The prisoners appealed for a full investigation about the prison food and the complaints of brutal treatment of prisoners. The other revolts include the riot at the Rahway State Prison Farm, also in New Jersey, and at the Southern Michigan State Prison in Jackson, Michigan.

The article looks at the Opportunity Food Buy Program conducted by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC), which sought to cut costs in providing food for offenders. Topics discussed include the program is handled by the ODOC Agri-Services Division, the process of the program involves the food brokers offering low-price food products that are bought by the Agri-Services Division, and the program reduced food costs by 825,000 dollars in the first 17 months.

The article focuses on agreement of the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of justice (DOJ) with the Robertson County Detention Facility (RCDF) in Springfield, Tennessee to improve the mental health care for prisoners. Topics discussed include settlement of a civil complaint that alleged the violation in the rights of mentally ill prisoners at the RCDF, complaints concerning the food served at the jail and prevention of excessive use of restraints on prisoners with mental illness.

The article reviews the Exhibit Hall Open House Reception of the American Correctional Association (ACA) on August 20, 2017, featuring products, goods and services for the improvement of the corrections field.

The article focuses on the programs offered the Ramsey County Correctional Facility (RCCF) in St. Paul, Minnesota for inmates including the program to lower recidivism in food service, certification programs in horticulture, and Cognitive Behavioral Interventions.

The article features Major Robert James Beach, the director of Food Services, Orleans Parish Sherrif's Office, in New Orleans, Louisiana. After Hurricane Katrina, he rebuilt the prison's foodservice facilities from a cook-serve to a cook-chill facility. As director, he was able to cut food costs at the prison and was awarded Food Service Director for 2005 by the publication. Details about Beach's experiences after Hurricane Katrina and the prison facility are included. INSET: Excerpts from Major Jim Beach's Katrina Diary.

The article discusses the importance of inmate food handling training. It points out that a written procedure for the medical screening of inmate food service worker before they work in the facility kitchen must be developed by a responsible physician. It cites the factors to be included in food safety training which include the food borne illness, the methods for preventing food contamination and the procedures for sanitizing equipment and utensils.

The article discusses how automation helps the food service operation in a correctional facility operate more efficiently and bring down costs. A food and nutrition management software system can also ensure that special diets for inmates with food allergies and intolerance are provided. It cites the factors to be considered when planning to automate including the purchase of new hardware, the education of upper management of the benefits of automation and training of staff on new application.

The article discusses whether outsourcing of foodservice is a good option for correction facilities in order to control costs. It is said that foodservice should be evaluated on how it affects security and control, officer morale and inmate behavior management in a facility. In evaluating outsourcing it is important to first know what colleagues are saying about their contract service. Next is to consider whether the vendor is a service provider or a service partner. Third is to assess the cost-per-meal for the facility is.

The article presents a list of miscellaneous information in regard to prison food and living conditions. A dish called "nutraloaf" served in the Vermont prison system is described. The method for making an alcoholic beverage in prison called "pruno" is detailed. Overcrowding has caused sewage spills and disease outbreaks in several state prison systems.

This article reports that the board of directors and members of the American Correctional Food Service Association, are mourning the death of their founder, Al Richardson. In 1969, he recognized the need for correctional food service professionals to have an association that was unique to their field. So, the fledging American Correctional Food Services Association (ACFSA) was formed. Since that time, ACFSA has grown from a national association to an international association and is recognized as the leading authority on correctional food service.

The author reflects on the importance of jail industries and discusses food service and its quality in jails. Topics discussed include services offered by jails such as upholstery, community clean-up and security screening; development of a warehouse of individualized inmate labor and trades by the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville and the role of the ServeSafe certification course in food service in providing quality foods for inmates.

The article presents proper food handling, storage, cooking and holding methods in order to avoid food and public health dangers in correctional facilities. It provides the temperature danger zone and the rapid bacteria growth zone where potentially hazardous food must not spend four hours combined. It cites constant monitoring of food temperatures as the key to foodborne illness prevention.

The article profiles Brian Sheetz, a correctional food service instructor at the State Correctional Institution Greene in Green County, Pennsylvania. A discussion of Sheetz's involvement in Operation Enduring Freedom in 2002 and of his heroic involvement in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2004 until 2006, is presented.

The article profiles Hawley & Associates LLC, a food service company which was founded in 1963 to serve the retail food service industry in St. Louis, Missouri, and the foods which they offer to consumers. The company provides commissary, food service and vending items which complement the food needs of correctional institutions.

The article discusses the advantages of the presence of multifunction kiosks in U.S. correctional facilities. It states that more jails are installing kiosks to handle fund deposits, facilitate canteen orders and provide information to inmates. It presents the use of two types of kiosks such as the inmate kiosk and the lobby kiosk. Some benefits from the kiosks include reduction of prison staff time, provision of information to inmates on gain-time rewards and release dates and access of general information.

The article features John Holeman, consolidate food manager at Monroe Correctional Complex in Washington. Holeman does not revel in serving 2,560 inmates for $1 per meal--a feat that keeps budgets in line and avoids food-related riots. Currently, he is on a mission to have the best correctional foodservice in the country while effecting a dramatic change in how prison personnel relate to offenders.

The article reports that Otisville State Correctional Facility in New York is saving money and stabilizing its supply of fresh produce through an expanding hydroponics program. David Schor, Otisville's foodservice administrator, believes hydroponics and corrections are a perfect match because of savings in labor cost and utility bills, plus the educational and rehabilitative value for inmates. Schor calculated that the hydroponics program saves the department between $1,500 and $1,800 a year.

The article focuses on the transformation of the food service at Lafayette Parish Correctional Center in Louisiana by its foodservice director Sheila LeJeune. She developed special diet meals for diabetics, with renal disease and pregnant inmates. Aside from food, the correction's budget was used to purchase food service equipment. The bidding system she initiated with food producers that have lowest price offers allowed her to spent $1.90 to $2.04 per inmate for three meals per day.

This article looks at the way Jim Beach, major correctional officer at the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff's Office in New Orleans, Louisiana, has reduced food costs while providing healthy meals for inmates at the nine Louisiana jails that he oversees. In the years since Beach took the position, he estimates that he and his team have reduced food costs by about one-third. In good measure, this has been effected by moving from a four or five-week cycle menu to a six-week cycle. Since doing more with less is an ongoing objective, Beach regularly brainstorms with his nuclear staff including Captain Mary Goodwin, Lieutenant Tyrone Sutherland, Corporal Tourland Levine and Field Officer Tyler Jones. Money and labor saving suggestions are always welcome. One of the best suggestions became a dream come true in 1996 when the two antiquated kitchens were scrapped for a brand new building to house a state-of-the-art central commissary.