The inmates at USP Canaan in Waymart, PA are dealing with inhumane conditions! 

The inmates are having to choose between eating and having visits. 

Visiting hours are from 8am - 3pm. During this time the inmate will have missed both breakfast and lunch and will only receive dinner that day. There are no food or vending machines provided at the visit. In fact this is one of the few Federal prisons that has not brought back full contact visits after COVID has ended. 

The standard calorie intake for a man is 2,500 calories a day. USP Canaan is under constant lockdown. During this time they are fed: 

1. Milk, cereal and a muffin - 668 calories 
2. Peanut butter sandwich and a cold cut - 663 calories 
3. Peanut butter sandwich and a cold cut - 663 calories

This totals to 1994 calories a day. This is not even meeting the standards set by the FDA. If you're deficient of 500 calories each day you would lose a pound a week.  

During visits they are left with only dinner resulting in a serious calorie deficiency. 

Inmates are able to go to the commissary to purchase additional food items only every two weeks. Not every inmate is eligible to go to commissary. These inmates are completely dependent on the three meals served each day for their caloric intake. Units at USP Canaan have not been able to go to the commissary in a few weeks to supplement the lack of food. 

They've even been given a packet of jelly and ketchup and two slices of bread and called it lunch. Some food items even state they are not for human consumption on the label. 

In 2020, the cost per inmate per day was $120. All of these food items can be purchased very inexpensively. 

The food allowance at USP Canaan should at least be meeting the FDA requirement of 2,500 calories per day. This allowance also should be given on visiting days as well. The recidivism rate has shown to lower when the inmate receives visits from their loved ones. This should not be at the expense of the basic human need of food. 

All inmates at USP Canaan should be able to receive the FDA 2,500 calorie minimum per day whether it is a regular scheduled day or a visiting day. The inmates should not be exposed to inhumane conditions regularly.