Debtor's prison is not just a threat used by credit card companies to collect payment, it is now a harsh reality for Americans all over the country.
Back in 1983, the United States Supreme Court banned the practice of imprisoning people for unpaid fees and debt. However, this hasn't stopped many communities and local areas in putting people in jail simply for being unable to pay for their debt. American Civil Liberties Union representatives said that this act does not only go against constitutional law, it also shows blatant discrimination against indigent citizens.
Many courts in the U.S. are now using the threat of imprisonment to nudge people into paying their overdue fines and fees.
Fines are given to defendants who have been convicted guilty of crimes such as traffic violations and illegal parking. Fees refer to the amount of money assessed by the court to cover the expense of processing a person's case.
As the local courts continue to be subjected to budgets each year, the fees continue to go up to make up for the loss. An average defendant would typically receive US$250 for simple cases but long-drawn, complicated court cases could cost up to several thousand.
People who agree with the programs reason that it part of the government's right and duty to collect the "required fees and court costs." They reason that problems caused by the debtors could affect law-abiding taxpayers.
ACLU claims that debtors prison is a "waste of money," according to Fox News.
Carl Takei, a staff attorney, shared his sentiments on the matter and said that the practice of debtors prison is a waste of taxpayer money and that the idea would not necessarily generate any money.
The research conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice of New York University further support Takei's reasoning. In 2009, 246 debtors were jailed in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and the prison had spent US$40,000 in jailing these people. Eventually around US$33,376 was collected as payment for the debt, the prison's total loss valued to more than US$6,500 in all.
The ALCU discovered that debtors prison has increased in popularity, especially in Colorado and Ohio.
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