New York’s prison system just banned something unusual from the outside: fresh fruits and veggies. As of January 2018, care packages sent to some inmates must come through private companies — no more parcels with food and goodies sent from home.

There are three exceptions to the new rule: wedding rings worth less than $150; clothes for a prisoner to wear when he or she is released; and non-electrical instruments can all be sent straight from home.

The state has entered the big business of prisoner care packages, joining the ranks of the hundreds of other local and state corrections agencies using private companies for the service. Instead of heading to a local convenience or grocery store to find gifts, loved ones have to choose from a selection of pre-approved items in the companies’ catalogs.

Caroline Hsu, a staff attorney with the Prisoners’ Rights Project of the Legal Aid Society, says the companies’ prices for simple things such as rice or Oreos can be much higher than those at local stores. For those with no credit card or internet at home, using the online catalogs can be near-impossible.

Read the full article on prison care packages by Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge at The Marshall Project