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Common Dreams: Guilty of Being Poor
Published on
Wednesday, April 01, 2015
When a community issues arrest warrants for more offenses than it has residents, something's deeply wrong.
<snip>
It began with a parking ticket back in 2007, which saddled a low-income black woman with a $151 fine and extra fees. In economic distress and frequently homeless, she was unable to pay. So she was hit with new fines and fees and eventually an arrest warrant that landed her in jail.
By 2010, shed paid the court $550 for the single parking violation, but more penalties had accrued. She attempted to make payments of $25 and $50, but the court rejected those partial installments.
Even after being jailed and paying hundreds of dollars above the original fine, she still owes the court $541 all because she lacked the money to pay the initial fees.
This womans story is repeating itself in town after town.
cont'd...
Link: http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/04/01/guilty-being-poor
Wednesday, April 01, 2015
When a community issues arrest warrants for more offenses than it has residents, something's deeply wrong.
<snip>
It began with a parking ticket back in 2007, which saddled a low-income black woman with a $151 fine and extra fees. In economic distress and frequently homeless, she was unable to pay. So she was hit with new fines and fees and eventually an arrest warrant that landed her in jail.
By 2010, shed paid the court $550 for the single parking violation, but more penalties had accrued. She attempted to make payments of $25 and $50, but the court rejected those partial installments.
Even after being jailed and paying hundreds of dollars above the original fine, she still owes the court $541 all because she lacked the money to pay the initial fees.
This womans story is repeating itself in town after town.
cont'd...
Link: http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/04/01/guilty-being-poor
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Common Dreams: Guilty of Being Poor (Original Post)
inanna
Apr 2015
OP
Criminalizing the poor & vulnerable for plunder & prison labor. This in the wealthiest country
appalachiablue
Apr 2015
#2
My county is making big money of this racket. And we have a less than 3% black population...
marble falls
Apr 2015
#3
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)1. K&R nt
appalachiablue
(41,144 posts)2. Criminalizing the poor & vulnerable for plunder & prison labor. This in the wealthiest country
in the world. Depraved, corrupt & despicable.
marble falls
(57,102 posts)3. My county is making big money of this racket. And we have a less than 3% black population...
The sheriff also gets a bounty from the private company running the jail for every body in a bunk.
Most of these "bodies" get into their situation starting with traffic violations and petty but victimless 'crimes'. Deputies make a point of jailing everybody even in cases where the law allows just a citation. And it just never ends. It feels like the county is trying to get anyone under thirty to leave. those who don't leave end up funding someone or some entity from minimum wage slavery with piled up never ending fees, fines and interests.