The Incarcerated Individual Betterment Fund has an estimated balance of $12 million.
The Washington Department of Correction manages an “Incarcerated Individual Betterment Fund,” which is funded by fees collected from incarcerated people. Although the fund is intended to improve the welfare of those incarcerated, most of the money remains unused due to significant spending restrictions. Many families and advocates argue that the fund should not exist at all. The DOC said the betterment fund grew tremendously during the pandemic. In the most recent fiscal year, the state raised $4 million for the fund, largely from phone call fees. The Betterment Fund is supposed to be spent to improve the welfare of incarcerated people but the agency limits its use and prohibits spending on things like books for the law library, furniture for the visitor area, premium movie channels, and cultural programs. In Washington, the betterment fund can only be used on capital or operating costs for privileges. There is no formal process to request the funds from the betterment fund, as a result, families’ requests are often ignored.
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