My attention was arrested by this story in America’s Newspaper of Record this morning.

Bernard Madoff’s niece and another relative — worried they’ll wind up behind bars — have contacted a consultant who teaches white-collar criminals how to survive in federal prison and secure early release, sources said.

Apparently this consultant, name of Larry Levine, makes a living teaching well-heeled white-collar criminals how to game the federal corrections system so that the incarceree gets to share a cell with Tarquin the insider-trader, not with DeShawn the enforcer for Tarquin’s cocaine supplier.

Observations: (1) Is this a great country or what? (2) Bernie Madoff’s people need help gaming the system? Say what?