File this under "Huh, I guess that makes sense." Since the ban on cigarettes in Michigan prisons went into effect in 2009, prisoners have had to find a way to replace their most valuable form of currency: cigarettes. Though tobacco and other contraband are still tossed over fences or dropped by drones, prisons' day-to-day bartering chip has changed from cigarettes to snack food.

RELATED: Michigan Department Of Corrections Most Wanted Escapees

Though I couldn't find a value equivalent for comparison, I found a Ranker story in which prisoners discuss what life is really like behind bars. One revealed that a college student's go-to late-night snack is now the preferred currency for those serving time in the Mitten State.

A Little Bag of Noodles Goes a Long Way in Michigan Prisons

A prisoner stands for a mugshot, holding a chalkboard with his information and prison number on it, while standing in front of a giant brick of ramen. (a common form of currency in Michigan prisons).
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According to an NPR interview with Michael Gibson-Light, an Assistant Professor of Sociology & Criminology at the University of Denver, the prison's "informal economy is based on ramen." Much of that has to do with what some who have spent time on the inside claim is the lack of quality food and the limited amount of servings.

You read that right. Prisoners in Michigan and around the country are using Ramen Noodles to pay each other for 'services,' black market goods, and other items you can't buy at the prison commissary.

If They've Got a CASE of Ramen, They're Doing Alright

Two prisoners argue behind bars in front of a huge brick of ramen noodles, which is used as currency in Michigan's prison system.
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Ramen, which those serving time call 'soup,' is a sign of wealth within the prison community. Those who are flush with it are not only not hungry, but they can also use their ramen as a bargaining chip for goods or safety.

RELATED: Michigan Prison Escapees Who Have Never Been Found

A Detroit Free Press states that between January and May 2020, over 2.5 million packages of ramen. Considering that the corrections population in Michigan in 2020, according to the National Institute of Corrections, was 118,778, that would be an average of 21 ramen packs per prisoner in five months.

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So, how many packs of ramen do you need to have in prison to be considered well-off? Well, to accumulate more, you'd have to have more smuggled in (inmates have a monthly ramen limit at the commissary) and have a place to put it. Regardless, if you find yourself in prison, bring ramen, lots of ramen.

Michigan Department of Corrections Most Wanted Fugitives

The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) has a long, storied history, which includes hundreds of unsuccessful prison breaks. That said, some have been successful enough that nearly 50 years later, some Michigan fugitives are still running from justice. Here's a look at the MDOC's Most Wanted Fugitives and Absconders

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

Inside Jackson State Prisons: Old & New

The 1952 Jackson, Michigan Prison Riot

Protesting harsh treatment, poor medical care, and bad food, inmates of Jackson's Michigan State Prison held 9 guards hostage for 5 days of riots in April 1952.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

America Behind Bars: State Rankings for Prison Population Growth

With many states experiencing corrections officer shortages and no shortage of criminals willing to land themselves behind bars, some states are closely monitoring prison populations and searching for solutions. Other states have thrown caution to the wind and more lawbreakers into prison, with a southern state leading the way, growing its incarcerated population by over 14% from 2021 to 2022, according to a study conducted by H&P Law. Let's countdown to the state with the largest percentage growth of residents housed in prison.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

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