Impact Justice’s groundbreaking report Eating Behind Bars: Ending the Hidden Punishment of Food in Prison illustrates how prisons and jails are sites of food apartheid:

2.3 MILLION incarcerated people nationwide are prevented from getting food that contributes to genuine health and well-being.

With one of the highest incarceration rates in the country, approximately 2,000 DC residents are living and eating behind bars.

Our first community conversation explored the state of DC jail food through firsthand accounts of formerly incarcerated individuals. Speakers provided examples of the foods being served and the dining environment as well as the the physical and emotional toll of consuming those meals.

During our second conversation, attendees heard some of the short and long term impacts of consuming meals in jail on physical and emotional health. Speakers shared firsthand experiences about how DC jail food altered their health and what they are doing currently as a result. We also zoomed out and looked at the larger DC food landscape and structural barriers to accessing nutritious foods upon reentry.

During our third conversation we continued to explore the state of DC jail food through firsthand accounts of formerly incarcerated residents and began to chart a path forward for DC Department of Corrections food. We heard examples of innovative meal programs from other cities, explored some of the unique challenges and opportunities we face in DC, and began to dream up what a more nourishing, dignified meal program could look like.