Some Prisoners Allowed To Buy MP3 Players

One federal agency — Federal Prisons — is taking a soothing approach to tight budgets. It's letting inmates at the Federal Prison Camp at Alderson, W.Va., buy MP3 players. The minimum security prison for women allows inmates to use their own money to buy the devices. A computer at the prison holds a music library with 1 million songs. Inmates pay for them, too. A spokeswoman said the players keep inmates busy and that promotes more harmony. If the pilot program works out, the plan would be rolled out to all federal prisons.