Perhaps:
Debtor’s prisons are supposed to be illegal in the United States but
today poor people who fail to pay even small criminal justice fees are
routinely being imprisoned. The problem has gotten worse recently because strapped states have dramatically increased the number of criminal justice fees.
In Pennsylvania, for example, the criminal court charges for police
transport, sheriff costs, state court costs, postage, and “judgment.”
Many of these charges are not for any direct costs imposed by the
criminal but have been added as revenue enhancers. A $5 fee, for
example, supports the County Probation Officers’ Firearms Training Fund,
an $8 fee supports the Judicial Computer Project, a $250 fee goes to
the DNA Detection Fund. Convicted criminals may face dozens of fees (not including
fines and restitution) totaling a substantial burden for people of
limited means. Fees do not end outside the courtroom. Jailed criminals
can be charged for room and board and for telephone use, haircuts, drug
tests, transportation, booking, and medical co-pays. In Arizona,
visitors to a prison are now charged a $25 maintenance fee.
In PA in order to get parole there is a mandatory charge of $60. While
on parole, defendants may be further assessed counseling, testing and
other fees. Interest builds unpaid fees larger and larger. In Washington
state unpaid legal debt accrues at an interest rate of 12%. As a
result, the median person convicted in WA sees their criminal justice
debt grow larger over time.
