Appeal's Court sides with Jailers on use of inmates' commissary funds to offset costs.

The U. S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit has sided with Jail officials, ruling that inmates' commissary funds (that inmate family members bring for inmates to use to buy incidentals), can be confiscated to be used to recover the costs of their incarceration.

The Court rejected inmates' arguments that the confiscation was without minimal due process in violation of the constitution. The Court found instead that the amount of money in question is small, the chance of error is low and the inmates have a recourse through the jails' grievance process.

This case is one that I am sure other jail personnel are following to see if it is constitutionally allowable to take inmates money to pay for their incarceration -- and it is, according to the Court.