Should provincial jails be buying the most expensive video game systems on the market while provincial government debt goes up by $50 a second?

Of course not, but that’s what’s going on.

You see, while investigating expenditures on video games in provincial jails, an anonymous letter came in to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation from a former guard at the Headingley Jail.

The guard was incensed with what he describes as a system that has become too focussed on keeping inmates entertained and “happy.” (You can view the letter on our web site.)

One of the allegations, which was later confirmed by the provincial government, was that the Headingley Jail bought the game “Guitar Hero 3” and the most expensive video game system out there; Sony’s Playstation 3.

It’s not clear when the jail bought the game system, but when it debuted a few years ago, it retailed for over $500; a price too high for many law-abiding families.

In addition to video games, the jail is using the funds to also buy things such as big screen TVs, bird baths and fitness equipment. According to the guard that wrote the letter, the jail has “more universal gyms and treadmills than Shapes.”

Some have argued the expenditures weren’t made with “public funds” as the money came from profits from the jail’s ‘canteen.’ You see, the jail has a canteen system that sells inmates things like chocolate bars, workout gloves and soft drinks.

But imagine if a junior high school principal used his or her school’s canteen profits to buy a video game system for their office? Rightfully so, taxpayers would be outraged.

Conversely, consider what the Saskatchewan government does with money it raises from inmates. Their government has started to charge inmates for the phone calls they make while in prison and uses the funds to help offset the cost of monitoring their calls. In a way, inmates are helping to offset the cost they are incurring to society.

Similarly, the ‘profits’ from canteens in Manitoba jails could be used to offset guards’ salaries, the jail’s electricity bill, food costs and other necessary expenditures.

If inmates coming out of Manitoba jails rarely reoffended, an argument could be made to turn the other cheek at the questionable expenditures. After all, the savings to taxpayers are immense if inmates don’t reoffend.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case; reoffending rates in Manitoba are off the charts. Provincial data shows adults reoffend 71 per cent of the time and youth reoffend at a mind numbing 90 per cent.

Clearly, something has to change.

So why not replace the game controllers with work tools and truly give inmates a chance to repay their debt to society? They could fix up parks and pick up garbage along the highway like we used to see.

Imagine if an inmate could come out of a provincial jail and show a potential employer a report that noted “Johnny has really turned things around. He was the most-hard working man we had on our park maintenance crew.”

It would certainly help both Johnny and taxpayers a lot more than a report that notes his top score in Guitar Hero 3.