07/08/2024
How could have the City better allocated that $59K? Or let just the inmates have fun? 🎮
The New York Post has revealed that New York City's Correction Department spent over $59,000 of taxpayer money on new video games for inmates, including popular fighting games like Mortal Kombat 1 and Street Fighter 6.
According to the New York Post, the Correction Department allocated $59,260 for PlayStation 4 and 5 games to help "keep inmates in line." City records indicate that these funds were designated for the agency's "Adult Programs Division," which purchased 1,247 games, including Mortal Kombat 1. This year's versions of Madden NFL and NBA 2K24 were also among the purchases. A longtime officer disclosed that groups of inmates played the games on a rotating basis in the facility's recreation rooms.
The Post reports that access to video games is used to encourage good behavior among inmates, potentially reducing altercations, fighting, and rule-breaking. The Department of Corrections acknowledged that jail officials have been using access to consoles as an incentive for years, particularly to manage "persistently violent" offenders.
In 2020, the agency faced similar criticism for spending $82,500 on knock-off Game Boys for inmate entertainment instead of additional COVID-19 testing kits and face masks.
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