Prison for Christmas

About 600 Iowa women inmates are in state prisons for the holiday season. Carlos Jayne, founder of the group “Friends of Prisoners at Mitchellville” says Christmas care packages for inmates are now handled by the prison canteen and contain a variety of items to brighten the holiday for women inmates. Jayne says people who want to make the lives of women inmates better might consider donating money to a fund that’s been established by Friends of Prisoners at Mitchellville. They have 79 applications from women asking for tuition help for their college classes so they can improve themselves and get better prepared to “get out and stay out.” He says about 500 women are imprisoned at Mitchellville and another hundred are at Mount Pleasant.