Debtors Prison – Page 4 – Voices for Civil Justice

Traffic Courts Are Driving Inequality in California

News Story (California)

Traffic Courts Are Driving Inequality in California

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