Debtors Prisons

[kalm]

A good idea?

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Several courts in Ohio are illegally jailing people because they are too poor to pay their debts and often deny defendants a hearing to determine if they're financially capable of paying what they owe, according to an investigation released Thursday by the Ohio chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The ACLU likens the problem to modern-day debtors' prisons. Jailing people for debt pushes poor defendants farther into poverty and costs counties more than the actual debt because of the cost of arresting and incarcerating individuals, the report said.

"The use of debtors' prison is an outdated and destructive practice that has wreaked havoc upon the lives of those profiled in this report and thousands of others throughout Ohio," the report said

http://news.yahoo.com/report-ohio-court ... 08615.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ivytalk]

"Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?" -- E. Scrooge, Esq.

[AZGrizFan]

Instead of debtors prison, we need to just hold people accountable for paying their debts when they have the ability to do so. Just think how much better our economy would be performing right now if 60% of the foreclosures in this country in the last 4 years hadn't happened.

[polsongrizz]

A good idea?

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Several courts in Ohio are illegally jailing people because they are too poor to pay their debts and often deny defendants a hearing to determine if they're financially capable of paying what they owe, according to an investigation released Thursday by the Ohio chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The ACLU likens the problem to modern-day debtors' prisons. Jailing people for debt pushes poor defendants farther into poverty and costs counties more than the actual debt because of the cost of arresting and incarcerating individuals, the report said.

"The use of debtors' prison is an outdated and destructive practice that has wreaked havoc upon the lives of those profiled in this report and thousands of others throughout Ohio," the report said

http://news.yahoo.com/report-ohio-court ... 08615.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Did you notice none of those thrown in jail were politicians, bankers, auto makers, or companies/businesses that filed bankruptcy?

[kalm]

Why Pols, you're not implying that we have two sets of rules...that we have two different justice systems are you?

[polsongrizz]

Why Pols, you're not implying that we have two sets of rules...that we have two different justice systems are you?