[Someone]

From what I read, more or less the entire US prison system would be a great product for a non-profit to improve on (food and phone calls are ludicrously expensive, too, for example), but it wouldn't bring in more money, so it won't happen without a huge social backlash against the way the US prison system treats prisoners.

At its roots, this is a social problem, not a technical one.

[tyingq]

The phone calls and commissary products are expensive because the contracts revenue share back with the prison. A non profit doesn't solve this issue, as you won't get the contract without juicy kickbacks.