A new coffee shop in Vermont is a standout not for what it sells — but where it sells it.
The men are housed in the honors unit at SSCF. It is a special section offering increased independence.Sign up for NECN newsletters. Incarcerated customers don’t use cash. When facility staff witness good behavior from guys behind bars, they give out cards which end up representing income for the cafe. The cards can be exchanged for a pastry or a fresh-brewed cup of coffee.
Corrections officials said much of what it took to get the cafe up and running was already on hand. Some materials were donated, according to SSCF superintendent Mike Lyon, who explained the cafe is in a space formerly used as a chapel.