At $249 per day, prison stays leave ex-inmates deep in debt

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A Connecticut woman who was billed nearly $84,000 for her 2 1/2 year prison stay has filed a federal lawsuit saying that even after reforms, the state's law is unconstitutional.

Two decades after her release from prison, Teresa Beatty feels she is still being punished.

All but two states have so-called "pay-to-stay" laws that make prisoners pay for their time behind bars, though not every state actually pursues people for the money. Supporters say the collections are a legitimate way for states to recoup millions of taxpayer dollars spent on prisons and jails. Her lawyers have asked a federal judge to block the state from enforcing the law against anyone, saying it remains unfair even after the amendments.

As prison populations ballooned, Friedman said, policymakers questioned how to pay for incarceration costs. "So, instead of raising taxes, the solution was to shift the cost burden from the state and the taxpayers onto the incarcerated."

 

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At $249 per day, prison stays leave ex-inmates deep in debtA few states have been amending or repealing “pay-to-stay” laws that require former prisoners to reimburse states for the cost of their jail stays, sometimes at daily rates exceeding what they would have paid to stay in a luxury hotel Why don't they work while in prison? They always need people to do general labor for municipalities. Taking care of parks, cleaning up litter, painting buildings. I am sure there are people in jail that have useful skills too or are willing to learn a trade. Make prison useful. Sad stories of relatives wanting to help out an ex-con only for their checks or bequests to be SEIZED. Reminds me of debtors prisons. They put people, sometimes including the whole family, for not paying off a debt. They stayed there until the debt was paid. Problem was they couldn't earn money to pay off the debt while in prison.
Source: ABC - 🏆 471. / 51 Read more »

At $249 per day, prison stays leave ex-inmates deep in debtHARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Two decades after her release from prison, Teresa Beatty feels she is still being punished. When her mother died two years ago, the state of Connecticut put a lien on the Stamford home she and her siblings inherited. This country sucks I was today years old when I learned inmates are billed for their prison stay when they complete their sentence. Is this really a thing? Don't be a criminal then.
Source: AP - 🏆 728. / 51 Read more »

At $249 Per Day, Prison Stays Leave Ex-Inmates Deep in DebtA few states have been amending or repealing “pay-to-stay” laws that require former prisoners to reimburse states for the cost of their jail stays, sometimes at daily rates exceeding what they would have paid to stay in a luxury hotel. I have a solution… DON’T BREAK THE LAW!! Why should taxpayers flip the bill for criminals… How bout their victims, some can never repay debt again.. its a voting-suppression tactic Republicans Use
Source: nbcchicago - 🏆 545. / 51 Read more »