Debtors Prison – Page 4 – Voices for Civil Justice

The U.S. Government’s Warning to Courts That Jail The Poor

News Story (NATIONAL)

The U.S. Government’s Warning to Courts That Jail The Poor

March 15, 2016 | J. Weston Phippen | Atlantic, The
The U.S. Department of Justice has told local and state courts to avoid practices that hurt low-income individuals most.
Tags: Debtors Prison | Fines and Fees

Justice Dept. Condemns Profit-Minded Court Policies Targeting the Poor

News Story (NATIONAL)

Justice Dept. Condemns Profit-Minded Court Policies Targeting the Poor

March 14, 2016 | Matt Apuzzo | New York Times (NYT)
The Justice Department on Monday called on state judges across the country to root out unconstitutional policies that have locked poor people in a cycle of fines, debt and jail.
Tags: Court Debt | Debtors Prison

Lawsuit: Court Illegally Jails People Who Can’t Pay Fines

News Story (Mississippi)

Lawsuit: Court Illegally Jails People Who Can’t Pay Fines

October 13, 2015 | Associated Press (AP)
Seven people have sued Mississippi's capital city, saying its municipal court illegally jailed them because they couldn't pay court fines.
Tags: Court Debt | Debtors Prison

Chain Gang 2.0: If You Can’t Afford This GPS Ankle Bracelet, You Get Thrown In Jail

Feature (NATIONAL)

Chain Gang 2.0: If You Can’t Afford This GPS Ankle Bracelet, You Get Thrown In Jail

September 21, 2015 | Eric Markowitz | International Business Times (IB Times)
Some states now require people to pay for their own electronic monitoring once they bail out of jail. And if you miss a payment, you better watch out.
Tags: Court Debt | Debtors Prison

How falling behind on child support can end in jail

News Story (South Carolina)

How falling behind on child support can end in jail

April 9, 2015 | Irin Cameron | MSNBC
South Carolina has one of the harshest regimes in the country when it comes to punishing parents who don’t pay child support.
Tags: Civil Rights | Debtors Prison | Driver's license suspension