California County to Charge Prisoners for Jail Stay

[marmar]

via truthdig:



California County to Charge Prisoners for Jail Stay
Posted on Nov 10, 2011


In Southern California, if you do the crime, there’s a chance you’ll pay both the time and the price of imprisonment. Due to a measure passed Tuesday by Riverside County’s board of supervisors, county jail inmates deemed able will be forced to pay $142.42 per day during their stay in the clink.

Rather than raising taxes on those who can afford it or reducing the prison population by decriminalizing petty offenses, county supervisor Jeff Stone thinks that’s the best way to make up $3 million to $5 million in the county’s annual budget shortfall. But what about those many (if not most) prisoners who can’t afford the cost?

—ARK

CNN Money:

The board of supervisors made the decision after the county’s lawyer determined that this type of reimbursement is legal under state law. But this is not a blanket decision. The county will review the reimbursement requirements of prisoners on a case-by-case basis, and make determinations based on their ability, or inability, to pay.

“In order to be reimbursed, the court must determine that the defendant has the ability to pay all or a portion of these costs,” wrote county counsel Pamela Walls, in a legal memo to the county supervisors. “Many defendants who are incarcerated lack the financial means, after the payments of fines and penalties, to reimburse these costs.”

The court must also weigh the charges against the prisoners’ family support obligations.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/09/news/economy/california_jail/index.htm?iid=HP_River">Read more

http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/california_prisoners_to_pay_for_jail_stay_20111110/

[Matariki]

1. Brilliant. Wipe out whatever meager assets a person has

so when they get out of jail they can do what? Rob a convenience store?

Stupid. I swear there are people who want to turn the US into a third world country. On purpose.

[NMMNG]

2. How are they going to make money to pay for it?

If they're in jail and unable to work (other than in jail where they make like $1 a day or something), how are they going to pay for their "accommodations"?

[Jumping John]

3. Good start with the wall street 1%

[Rabblevox]

4. Oh yippee! ANOTHER idea to boost income for the private prison system!!!...

I'm not saying I oppose the idea of wealthy convicted criminals paying for their jail time.

But shouldn't that come during the penalty phase of a trial?

Doing this to working poor, or even lower-middle class inmates is an abomination.

(Unless, of course, you work for the prison industrial complex, in which case, FU)

[begin_within]

5. Good luck on ever collecting it.

[notadmblnd]

6. Michigan counties have been charging for years

But since they mostly imprison the poor, I doubt they've collected much over the years.

[notadmblnd]

7. for 142.00 a day, I'd want 5 star service!

[Historic NY]

11. I would say so. I pay less at Hilton and even get a mint.

[fujiyama]

8. LOL - brilliant, good luck getting that money!

Then again, this is the state where a guard at a state prison can get a pension after five years and be set for life. And prison psychiatrists make 800,000 a year...

Meanwhile, the costs keep rising for the UCs. Seriously, talk about dysfunctional...

[Seedersandleechers]

9. They did the same thing in

the county jail I worked at (nurse); and what didn't make sense to me was that a lot of inmates there were waiting trial. Not everyone in jail are guilty of crimes - just charged. :shrug:

[Mojeoux]

10. As we slouch toward a society of legal slavery,

and privately run prisons. Prisoners doing work cheaper than OSHA protected American workers.

:puke: :puke: