The average cost to house an inmate in Texas prisons is $47.50 per day, according to Michelle Lyons, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Thus it would cost about $17,340 to house an inmate for a year and $693,500 for 40 years, far less than even part of the death penalty costs.
Like many modern plastics, Bakelite was lightweight and durable, and it could be molded into nearly infinite shapes, so its use quickly expanded as manufacturers realized its potential. Consumers primarily were attracted to its aesthetic qualities: a sleek, stylish look coupled with a substantial, high-end feel.
6 Ways to Identify Bakelite. Using Your Senses to Discern Phenolic Plastics. First and foremost, never use the hot pin test to determine whether something is or is not made of Bakelite. Some older plastics (like celluloid, for example) are flammable, and a hot pin can be dangerous to not only the plastic but to you as well.