Report says Michigan among states that jail those who can't pay debts detnews.com The Detroit News
Money is tight and you are unable to make payments on a debe. The bill collectors begin to call, you dodge them because they humiliate you and are nasty. After all, if you had the money you would pay the bill.
Next thing you know they expect you in court which you don't attend and then, unknown to you, you are found contempt of court and then court fees are added to the existing debt. The vicious cycle continues when the judge orders you to jail time for the unpaid fees and then fines you for being in jail.
Is this legal? According to the law, this is unconstitutional but it is happening. In the report from the The Detroit News, a women was sentenced to jail for not paying a traffic fine. On top of the initial fine is added court and jail fine which increases her amount due. If she didn't have the money to pay the initial fine, how will she pay these addition ones?
The ACLU are all over this, defending citizens who are falling victim to these modern day debtors prisons. It is happening more frequently.
In my opinion, if someone does not have the money to pay before they are put in jail, how the heck are they going to be able to pay the additional fines after?
Why turn a economically depressed individual into a economically depressed individual with a jail record which will make it even more difficult for this person to earn money to survive? What are the answers to these situations?
If this is being allowed even though unconstitutional, what will be next? I really don't want to find out.
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