UBC January 2025 - Killer Pies

Welcome to today's UBC episode.

As per Amrita's request on my article about running errands, let's dedicate today's post to the now internationally famous killer pies ;-)

If you're like "wait - what? Killer pies?" - read on...

I live in an area where next to us regular folks in our town houses there are also over 300 inmates from 50 nations residing in a state penitentiary. Bad guys who committed murder, sold large amount of drugs or molested children. 

Some of them are nice people! I have met some cheerful Caribbean guys who were really friendly. 

How come? As a board member of a local women's charity, over ten years ago, I have had a rare chance to visit the jailhouse. Upon that "guided tour" we were told that the inmates do some work for outside buyers. So if you have a thousand Christmas cards that need to be put in envelopes, you bring them to the reception area (that's how far you usually get - unless you are a lawyer or a family member with a visitor's pass), and the guys do it for a small fee. 

The felons also do other work, even custom orders like timbering the wooden Eiffel Tower we painted as a birthday party activity in 2013 or our pretty  St. Patrick's Day Rainbow.

Also they run a groceries store for the public. Well, the inmates don't actually work at the store, but they produce yogurt, jam, wine, vinegar and the like. Also local farmers will take their produce to sell at the store. 

Every Wednesday you can choose from a large selection of savory and sweet pies. 

Here's what they offer:

Spinach leaves with bacon, spinach, cheese, cheese with potato, leek, onion, asparagus (in season).

Grated apple, apple slices, apricots, black cherries, sour cherries, rhubarb, red currants, plums. 

So due to the pies, Wednesdays are their busiest day of the week. They open the store at 9.30am. People will be waiting in the parking lot before that and neatly queue in the tiny store, and it may happen that by the time it's your turn, some varieties are sold out.

This is why I started to call early in the morning and order to pick up. Typically I wasn't the only one, and the phone line was busy all the time. This is when a nice sales lady and I agreed it'd be OK to order via e-mail, which is what I have been doing ever since.

That way I have all day to pick them up. The store is closed between 12 noon and 3pm, so usually I go mid-afternoon.

Since it is just a small store with no chance of keeping six feet apart, they were entirely closed due to Corona lockdown. Colin and I were joking: they should set up a delivery service, we were sure the inmates would be happy to volunteer ;-)

I think it's great that the prisoners are allowed to work. Yes, I am convinced it's more of a privilege for them than a duty. Without work, the days are really long. The Swiss prison system also attaches great importance to preparing prisoners for life after prison. Ideally, they should be able to lead an honest life in freedom and not become criminals again. Working in prison has been a real career stepping stone for some of them. There is even the possibility of completing vocational training. 

On the one hand, I am proud of the fact that the Swiss penal system is so elaborate and humane, but on the other hand I find the level of punishment too low and “leniency” too high. Most murderers, rapists, etc. walk around in the free world again after 15 to 20 years. 

What are your thoughts on this?