5 ms·

This is pretty damn scary. Are debtor's prisons about to make a comeback too?

giantg2 5y ago
Dude, that's basically what we have now. Bond, fines, court fees, lawyer fees, prison labor, etc. Even if you win, you still lose financially. Edit: I forgot a big one. The early intervention or accelerated rehabilitation programs cost tons of money, paid both to the system and to the vendors of ignition interlocks, ankle bracelets, etc. You really are paying to stay out of prison.
- wldcordeiro 5y ago
  They never went away they just rewrote the rules so you go in for something else on paper.
- fakedang 5y ago
  So basically the system in the medieval Arab Gulf countries. Unbelievable.
vkou 5y ago
Your post implies that they have ever went away. They haven't, there's just a large middle-class America that's largely insulated from the barbarism of its legal system.
- cbozeman 5y ago
  I love the fact you're being downvoted, on a website that's mostly populated by people who are mostly members of the upper middle class of America. Being reminded that you have untold advantages and suffer practically no real disadvantages must be a real mother fucker, huh folks?
  - dang 5y ago
    Please don't post flamewar comments to HN, and please don't fulminate. The experience of being surrounded by demons in a web forum like this is a mechanical one that follows from its structure. I've tried to explain this many times. I hope one of these explanations may be helpful, but in any case please don't post like you did here–it does no good for anyone and only makes this place even worse. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23308098 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23308098 https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&sort=byDate&type=comment&query=demons%20by:dang https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&so... https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=by%3Adang%20dislike%20notice&sort=byDate&type=story&type=comment https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que... https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=by%3Adang%20false%20feelings%20of%20generality&sort=byDate&type=comment https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que...
gabereiser 5y ago
We already have them. Inmates in most US jails and prisons are charged a per diem just for being there. It’s disgraceful.
- Aperocky 5y ago
  So.. what if they don't pay?
  - notac 5y ago
    often you're billed after release, can take it from any pay you make when you're out, etc. It's pretty evil.
  - gabereiser 5y ago
    You find yourself with a judgement and garnishment should you ever be employed.
- refurb 5y ago
  That’s not debtor’s prison?
  - gabereiser 5y ago
    Imagine being locked up for not paying fines, only to be fined further while your in, and unable to break the cycle...
    - refurb 5y ago
      Right, that’s not great, but that’s not what people mean by debtors prison.
      - gabereiser 5y ago
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtors%27_prison https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtors%27_prison If someone is unable to pay their debt, they are thrown back in jail, accruing more debt. How is this not a debtors prison? Perfect examples are listed on this wikipedia article. Child-support, garnishments, confiscations, etc. It's exactly what I described. https://lasentinel.net/if-youre-poor-in-america-debtors-prison-is-real.html https://lasentinel.net/if-youre-poor-in-america-debtors-pris... Inmates who are unable to pay their fees (for even being in jail) are unable to leave. For-profit prisons are real.

Dude, that's basically what we have now. Bond, fines, court fees, lawyer fees, prison labor, etc. Even if you win, you still lose financially. Edit: I forgot a big one. The early intervention or accelerated rehabilitation programs cost tons of money, paid both to the system and to the vendors of ignition interlocks, ankle bracelets, etc. You really are paying to stay out of prison.

wldcordeiro 5y ago
They never went away they just rewrote the rules so you go in for something else on paper.
fakedang 5y ago
So basically the system in the medieval Arab Gulf countries. Unbelievable.

vkou 5y ago

Your post implies that they have ever went away. They haven't, there's just a large middle-class America that's largely insulated from the barbarism of its legal system.

cbozeman 5y ago
I love the fact you're being downvoted, on a website that's mostly populated by people who are mostly members of the upper middle class of America. Being reminded that you have untold advantages and suffer practically no real disadvantages must be a real mother fucker, huh folks?
- dang 5y ago
  Please don't post flamewar comments to HN, and please don't fulminate. The experience of being surrounded by demons in a web forum like this is a mechanical one that follows from its structure. I've tried to explain this many times. I hope one of these explanations may be helpful, but in any case please don't post like you did here–it does no good for anyone and only makes this place even worse. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23308098 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23308098 https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&sort=byDate&type=comment&query=demons%20by:dang https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&so... https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=by%3Adang%20dislike%20notice&sort=byDate&type=story&type=comment https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que... https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=by%3Adang%20false%20feelings%20of%20generality&sort=byDate&type=comment https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que...

gabereiser 5y ago

We already have them. Inmates in most US jails and prisons are charged a per diem just for being there. It’s disgraceful.

Aperocky 5y ago
So.. what if they don't pay?
- notac 5y ago
  often you're billed after release, can take it from any pay you make when you're out, etc. It's pretty evil.
- gabereiser 5y ago
  You find yourself with a judgement and garnishment should you ever be employed.
refurb 5y ago
That’s not debtor’s prison?
- gabereiser 5y ago
  Imagine being locked up for not paying fines, only to be fined further while your in, and unable to break the cycle...
  - refurb 5y ago
    Right, that’s not great, but that’s not what people mean by debtors prison.
    - gabereiser 5y ago
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtors%27_prison https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtors%27_prison If someone is unable to pay their debt, they are thrown back in jail, accruing more debt. How is this not a debtors prison? Perfect examples are listed on this wikipedia article. Child-support, garnishments, confiscations, etc. It's exactly what I described. https://lasentinel.net/if-youre-poor-in-america-debtors-prison-is-real.html https://lasentinel.net/if-youre-poor-in-america-debtors-pris... Inmates who are unable to pay their fees (for even being in jail) are unable to leave. For-profit prisons are real.