[Tainari88]

You think Little Dorritis about debtors' prison in England in the 19th century?

No, this is a way of making money off of poor people:

You spend time in jail over traffic tickets and broken taillights and other stuff, like not cutting your grass in time. You got some junk in your patio. You got chipped paint. It is really that bad folks.

What is your opinion?

[Puffer Fish]

also see related thread:
"Criminalization of debt in the U.S." (posted in Credit & Debt, Oct 27, 2019 )
viewtopic.php?f=115&t=177382

You spend time in jail over traffic tickets and broken taillights and other stuff, like not cutting your grass in time. You got some junk in your patio. You got chipped paint.

There is an element of racial resentment that is a factor in these issue. The middle class feels resentful against the poor because of all the problems the poor are much more likely to cause. This includes not keeping up appearances of properties in the neighborhood. So many places in the American Deep South have a tradition of being rather punitive.

A lot of these are poorer places, so there's more of a sense that "money doesn't grow on trees". Everyone has to individually step up and fulfill their responsibilities, so the society is stricter and less merciful.


I also think one of the issues, one that the Left is not going to be inclined to focus on, is simply all the rules. The more rules there are, the higher the likelihood an individual is going to run afoul of one of them. This is as much a tyranny of too many rules and laws being overly strictly enforced as it is oppression against the poor. And the Left is not going to want to focus on that aspect because the Left is the side more likely to want to pass more of these rules.

[wat0n]

Excessive and unnecessary.

It also leads to bad incentives IMO, this would put not paying a traffic ticket at a level comparable to not paying child support, right? And it also costs the taxpayer money to jail these people.

Tax returns could be withheld to pay for those types of debt if that's the issue.

[Puffer Fish]

It also leads to bad incentives IMO, this would put not paying a traffic ticket at a level comparable to not paying child support, right? And it also costs the taxpayer money to jail these people.

One of the issues is that these people continue to drive a car after their driving license has been taken away for not paying traffic tickets.

Yes, it's kind of harsh, but what do you expect the local government to do when those people won't pay their traffic tickets?

[wat0n]

One of the issues is that these people continue to drive a car after their driving license has been taken away for not paying traffic tickets.

Yes, it's kind of harsh, but what do you expect the local government to do when those people won't pay their traffic tickets?

Take it off their tax returns. Federal law could regulate this for the federal tax refund. This could also extend for welfare or other forms of government aid but tax refunds come first.

Now, punishing recidivism is a different matter but we're talking specifically about those who are jailed for not paying fines or similar forms of debt.

I'm fine with jailing serial child support debtors though, but only after the above venues have been exhausted. That's a more serious offence in my book.