Jails: The Practice Of Pay To Stay

The US inmates charged per night in jail
By Jessica Lussenhop, BBC News Magazine (11/9/2015)

"The fees affect mostly rural and suburban counties, and some charge as little as $1 or as much as $66 a day. The ACLU found former inmates with debts ranging from several hundred dollars up to $35,000."

My Comments About The Article AboveThe $50 a day may not mean much to some, but others it might as well be $500. Especially coming out from prison having had no income during their incarceration.

Many prisons are privatized leading to once again taking money out the pockets of the poorest (who are most likely to be locked up) and giving it to investors who stand to profit from such things. It can also lead to things like the Kids for cash scandal which occurred in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Two judges were convicted of taking money from two for-profit youth centers for juvenile detainees. Not to even mention the vulture like bill collectors who will haunt their lives for years after.

If these ex-offenders (especially the poor ones) are kicked while they're already down it would be a determent to the goal of reducing recidivism to my way of reasoning. It seems to me taking away hope or an opportunity to turn one's self around can't be a good thing. If there's some sort of statistical evidence otherwise I haven't found it.

I can understand the rational behind taxpayers not wanting to be forced paying for jails. On the other hand I question whether there's a true economic savings. Especially in the case of those who are released returning to their wife and children unable to support them because of the said debt owed. No doubt in more then a few cases their children would qualify for government sponsored benefits due to the family's forced financial situation Perhaps even housing assistance as well.

I realize not all of these people are looking to turn themselves around but for those who do this adds one more hurdle. Face reality the really bad guys are never going to pay. What should we do lock those who do not pay back up again?

We already took away their freedom for whatever amount of time. Should we strip them further of their money after paying lawyers, court fees and loss of income? Make it financially harder on them to survive even if they'd be fortunate enough to find a job with their record? How much is enough punishment and how long before they should be able to move forward from their past?

I'm not advocating for softer sentencing nor forgiveness of crimes committed. What I am in favor of is allowing someone to move on with their life if they sincerely make the effort. Obligating someone to a possible lifetime of debt neither benefits they nor taxpayers. Only bill collectors and for-profit jailhouse investors who have no interest in seeing ex-cons succeed.

Then There This..

Yeah there's nothing like making a buck off somebody's misery !