中国方便面如何成为美国监狱的"黄金货币"？
在美国监狱系统里，中国方便面已经超越香烟成为最抢手的"硬通货"。 根据《华盛顿邮报》报道，华盛顿州本顿县惩教署近期采用方便面作为奖励，成功说服25%的囚犯接种新冠疫苗。
In the US prison system, Chinese instant noodles have surpassed cigarettes to become the most sought-after "hard currency". According to The Washington Post, the Benton County Corrections Department in Washington recently used instant noodles as an incentive, successfully persuading 25% of inmates to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
数据显示，这座关押360名囚犯的监狱已经发放了900包方便面作为奖励。监狱长斯科特·索萨表示："方便面已经成为我们监狱最受欢迎的商品之一。"
Data shows that the prison, which houses 360 inmates, has distributed 900 packs of instant noodles as rewards. Warden Scott Sosa said: "Instant noodles have become one of the most popular commodities in our prison."
方便面的监狱经济学
The Economics of Instant Noodles in Prisons
自2016年起，包括BBC、CNN、《华尔街日报》在内的多家国际媒体都报道过方便面在美国监狱的特殊地位。如今，方便面已经取代香烟、邮票等传统"监狱货币"，成为地下交易市场的通用支付方式。
Since 2016, international media including BBC, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal have reported on the special status of instant noodles in US prisons. Today, instant noodles have replaced traditional "prison currencies" like cigarettes and stamps, becoming the universal payment method in underground markets.
不同品牌的方便面有着不同的"汇率"：
- 日本方便面价值最高
- 两包韩国泡面可兑换价值11美元的T恤
- 中国某师傅方便面因分量足、营养均衡，位居货币体系顶端
Different brands of instant noodles have different "exchange rates":
- Japanese instant noodles have the highest value
- Two packs of Korean ramen can be exchanged for a $11 T-shirt
- A certain Chinese brand's instant noodles, due to their generous portions and balanced nutrition, sit at the top of the currency system
背后的深层原因
The Underlying Reasons
美国民权同盟(ACLU)调查显示，自1970年以来，美国监狱人口增长了7倍，每年耗费纳税人700亿美元。为节省开支，许多监狱已将每日三餐缩减为两顿热餐加一顿冷餐，周末甚至只提供两顿饭。
According to the ACLU, since 1970, the US prison population has grown sevenfold, costing taxpayers $70 billion annually. To save costs, many prisons have reduced daily meals from three to two hot meals plus one cold meal, with only two meals provided on weekends.
犯罪学家指出，监狱货币体系的建立基于刚性需求。二战时期战俘营以香烟为交易媒介，如今随着监狱伙食质量下降，方便面因其便利性和美味度成为新的刚需品。
Criminologists point out that prison currency systems are based on rigid demand. While cigarettes were the medium of exchange in WWII POW camps, with declining prison food quality, instant noodles have become the new necessity due to their convenience and taste.
催生的黑市经济
The Underground Economy It Spawned
巨大的需求催生了新的监狱经济。有传言称墨西哥数百家地下工厂专门生产走私到美国的方便面。布鲁克林的黑帮大佬甚至宣称："没有人敢从我身边夺走哪怕一小口汤，这关系到我的尊严。"
The huge demand has spawned a new prison economy. Rumors suggest hundreds of underground factories in Mexico specialize in producing instant noodles smuggled into the US. A Brooklyn gang leader even declared: "No one dares to take even a sip of soup from me, it's a matter of dignity."
这一现象不仅反映了美国监狱系统的深层问题，也展现了中国食品在全球范围内的独特影响力。对于中国食品出口商而言，这或许是一个值得关注的特殊市场。
This phenomenon not only reflects deep-seated issues in the US prison system but also showcases the unique global influence of Chinese food products. For Chinese food exporters, this might be a special market worth attention.
