Debtors Prison Comeback ?

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   Debtors prison was abolished in the late 1800's to early 1900's,now it seems judges want to bring them back. Several stories of people having debt and unable to pay are being threatened by judges with jail/prison time are starting to surface. People who owe as little as $85 in one case are being sent to jail. At the exact same time that a debtor is being jailed most jails now require room & board fee's from inmates. Room & board can range anywhere from $45 per night to as much as $140 per day. So a debtor jailed for the inability to pay their bills can get a minimum sentence of 30 days at $140 per day = $4200 which puts the debtor even further into debt and being jailed means no job so....perpetual imprisonment for debt.

With many who owe Visa & Mastercard who are unemployed and recieving no unemployment payments could be looking at jail/prison time for their inability to pay in this hard economic times. What about the fishermen & business's around the Gulf where the oil spill has put them out of work e.g. ? If they can't afford bankruptcy could they be looking at jail time because of a multi-billion dollar company irresponsibility ? Is this the America we all grew up in ? Where in school we recited our pledge to the flag ? Where our enlisted took a pledge to protect this country ? Have our judges & politicians gone off the deep end ? Does Corporate America really care so very little ?

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Hermes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: May 19 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1637	Post Options Post Reply Quote Hermes Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Debtors Prison Comeback ? Posted: Jun 21 2010 at 12:55pm
	Debtors prison was abolished in the late 1800's to early 1900's,now it seems judges want to bring them back. Several stories of people having debt and unable to pay are being threatened by judges with jail/prison time are starting to surface. People who owe as little as $85 in one case are being sent to jail. At the exact same time that a debtor is being jailed most jails now require room & board fee's from inmates. Room & board can range anywhere from $45 per night to as much as $140 per day. So a debtor jailed for the inability to pay their bills can get a minimum sentence of 30 days at $140 per day = $4200 which puts the debtor even further into debt and being jailed means no job so....perpetual imprisonment for debt. With many who owe Visa & Mastercard who are unemployed and recieving no unemployment payments could be looking at jail/prison time for their inability to pay in this hard economic times. What about the fishermen & business's around the Gulf where the oil spill has put them out of work e.g. ? If they can't afford bankruptcy could they be looking at jail time because of a multi-billion dollar company irresponsibility ? Is this the America we all grew up in ? Where in school we recited our pledge to the flag ? Where our enlisted took a pledge to protect this country ? Have our judges & politicians gone off the deep end ? Does Corporate America really care so very little ?
	No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !!

VietVet Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008	Post Options Post Reply Quote VietVet Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jun 21 2010 at 2:32pm
	Don't understand this logic Hermes. We all read and hear on the nightly news that cities are turning away people who ought to be in jail for charges that far outweight debtors issues. People are being "home monitored" with ankle bands, etc. because there is no more room in these jails/prisons. Hard to understand getting jail time for debt. As you stated, how is the person going to pay off the debt if in jail and where are they going to put all of the people that are losing their jobs and having bill paying issues because of it? The judges, by wanting these back, are totally out of touch with reality IMO. All this does is infuriate people.