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Pandemic stimulus checks were designed to help people pay bills and stimulate the economy. They may have the unintended consequence of stimulating drug sales and use in Michigan prisons, Fox 2 reports.
About 32,000 Michigan prisoners received stimulus payouts on the average of $500.
"That is something we are worried about," Michigan Department of Corrections spokesperson Chris Gautz tells Fox 2. "Our strongest position is we know any influx of cash into the prison system is going to turn into an ability or option for prisoners to want and try to bring drugs into the facility."
"Some (prisoners) certainly feel they shouldn't get it and shouldn't be entitled to it. If Congress felt that way and if there was a lot of outrage from Congress about why prisoners were getting these checks - but in subsequent bills they wrote for the second and third installments of stimulus checks, they didn't change the laws," said Gautz.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is trying to go after that money to pay for a prisoner's "cost of care."
