TIL 40 states in the US charge you $20-$80 a day for being incarcerated in prison.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/19544496

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/18677335

TIL 40 states in the US charge you $20-$80 a day for being incarcerated in prison.

Very weird that I am so old and have literally never heard this mentioned in a TV show or book or movie or anything.

In four out of five states, if you go to prison, you are literally paying for the time you spend there.

As you can guess, this results in crippling debt as soon as you're released.

The county gets back a fraction of what they hold over your head the rest of your life until you commit suicide(or die naturally and peacefully with the sword of damocles hanging over your head).

$20-$80 a day according to Rutgers.

Counties apparently sue people and employ wage garnishment to get back the money that majority of people obviously cannot pay back.

https://www.rutgers.edu/...

some_guy 44 points 2 years ago

So once you’ve paid your debt to society you have a new debt to the state. Ridiculous.

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dudinax 13 points 2 years ago

Don't worry, if you can't pay the debt they just fine you.

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RandallFlagg 10 points 2 years ago

And if you can't pay the fine, they'll just put out a warrant for your arrest.

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pivot_root 4 points 2 years ago

Ah, the circle of recidivism life.

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DancingBear 42 points 2 years ago

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jeffw 23 points 2 years ago

Room and board charges aren’t as popular as this most makes them sound. But the fees are absurd in general: https://www.brennancenter.org/...

I think room and board charges are most common in county jails and smaller facilities, not large-scale prisons where people are sentenced for longer periods. Some places authorize room and board for prisons but it is more often just hidden fees and charges (excessive phone fees, etc).

It’s also notable that some states (unsure how many) limit charges based on ability to pay. So the state may authorize an $80/day prison or jail fee but only collect from those who had savings before being imprisoned or who work and are paid during their time behind bars.

Again, I’m not defending this practice, just commenting on the title making it sound more widespread than it is.

If anyone wants a more in-depth analysis, see here

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NounsAndWords 18 points 2 years ago

$80/day x 365 = $29,200.

$14/hour x 2080 hours (40 hours x 52 weeks) = $29,120

Hopefully you can get a good paying job right out of prison, since you're only going into more debt if you don't...

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mysteriousquote 20 points 2 years ago

$14/hour? Not likely, 20 states are still at the federal minimum of $7.25/hour, and only like 7 are at $14 or higher.

Lump that together with the massive stigma about hiring people who spent time in prison, the shit education and/or training most incarcerated people receive and they’ll be lucky to get two minimum wage jobs to barely squeak by.

The U.S. never abolished slavery, they just gave it a makeover and called it justice.

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Gormadt 12 points 2 years ago

The U.S. never abolished slavery, they just gave it a makeover and called it justice.

God damn that line goes hard

It truly is fucked up how we treat prisoners in this country

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jjagaimo 5 points 2 years ago

It's not even some kind of conspiracy theory, it's literally an exception written in the amendment

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

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BrianTheeBiscuiteer 2 points 2 years ago

So just put every single penny you earn towards the debt? Easy peasy.

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raef 10 points 2 years ago

Some counties charge booking fees, which they charge when someone is arrested but not convicted of anything. They release people and they have some number of days to pay the fee and will get a warrant if that doesn't happen. Essentially generating charges for someone who may not have done anything wrong. That's real shady

Edit: counties, not countries

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A_A 9 points 2 years ago

... and if you don't pay they throw you out ! /s

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