I came across this one while wandering about. It’s Canadian; apparently originally it meant “the workhouse” but now refers to social welfare assistance. The OED says that “pokey” (prison, jail) is an apparent alteration of “pogey,” and points back to the adjective “poky” (that pokes). I wonder if it doesn’t make more sense to look to “poke” as in a sack or bag, known these days through the idiom “pig in a poke.”

I think the sense of the adjective poky that is being referred to isn’t the “projecting, that which pokes” sense, but rather the OED’s second definition of “of a room, building, etc.: small in size or accommodation; cramped, confined; (also occas.) mean, shabby.”

Cool! Thank you