"Yes, I have committed crimes to pay off debt." While the admission, to the Opinion Video team from a prisoner in Flint, Mich., wasn't entirely unexpected, what was surprising was the source of that debt: the criminal justice system itself. Some of it came from things like fines and restitution, the financial punishments those who commit a crime might be forced to pay. But more than a third of this prisoner's debt — around $10,000 — was the result of administrative fees. The public defender the Constitution guarantees? No one said anything about it being free. Costs vary from state to state and jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but it could cost you $1,500. Then there's the $40 filing charge. And don't forget about the $20 mandatory contribution to the jail medical fund. Need to call home once a week? At 14 cents a minute, those phone calls are going to add up to $4,368 over the course of a five-year sentence. Are you required to wear a monitoring bracelet when you get out? That comes with a grab bag of monthly fees, too. These administrative fees are omnipresent for people in the carceral system. And while they might seem small, they add up to what many experience as insurmountable debt. Some former prisoners are even dragged back to jail for failure to pay these debts. That's why this prisoner's admission was shocking. She committed a crime in order to pay off debt she had accumulated from being in jail. That landed her back in jail, where she will accumulate more debt. We've heard this story over and over: Prisoners feel trapped by debt. The fees are a punishment on top of a punishment.
We wanted to show this cycle. So we strapped a camera to the head of Kirk Semple, an Opinion Video producer, and sent him through the system, all the while calculating the costs he would theoretically accumulate along the way. You might be surprised by just how high that debt grew. The resulting video is a rare look inside the prison debt machine — at how expensive it is to be incarcerated and how predatory administrative fees are forcing many former prisoners into desperate situations, which isn't making society any safer. Watch the video: We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. Games Here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle and Spelling Bee. If you're in the mood to play more, find all our games here. Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com. If you have questions about your Times account, delivery problems or other issues, visit our Help Page or contact The Times.
|
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Opinion Today: Come to jail with us. You’ll need a calculator.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Page List
Blog Archive
- October 2024 (1455)
- September 2024 (2667)
- August 2024 (3156)
- July 2024 (3241)
- June 2024 (3107)
- May 2024 (3196)
- April 2024 (3104)
- March 2024 (3192)
- February 2024 (3006)
- January 2024 (3261)
- December 2023 (3176)
- November 2023 (3188)
- October 2023 (3191)
- September 2023 (2961)
- August 2023 (3120)
- July 2023 (3024)
- June 2023 (3042)
- May 2023 (3205)
- April 2023 (3030)
- March 2023 (2986)
- February 2023 (2584)
- January 2023 (2694)
- December 2022 (2745)
- November 2022 (2899)
- October 2022 (2916)
- September 2022 (2970)
- August 2022 (2981)
- July 2022 (2814)
- June 2022 (2759)
- May 2022 (2768)
- April 2022 (2692)
- March 2022 (2851)
- February 2022 (2550)
- January 2022 (2715)
- December 2021 (2641)
- November 2021 (2745)
- October 2021 (2836)
- September 2021 (2847)
- August 2021 (2756)
- July 2021 (2572)
- June 2021 (2738)
- May 2021 (2579)
- April 2021 (2698)
- March 2021 (2789)
- February 2021 (2532)
- January 2021 (2617)
- December 2020 (2664)
- November 2020 (2637)
- October 2020 (2824)
- September 2020 (2745)
- August 2020 (2704)
- July 2020 (2749)
- June 2020 (2669)
- May 2020 (2199)
- April 2020 (4060)
- March 2020 (5898)
- February 2020 (6963)
- January 2020 (7455)
- December 2019 (10)
Search This Blog
The #1 Crypto for AI
Bigger Than AI. Bigger than Bitcoin. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ...
-
View Images Library Photos and Pictures. Как сделать усилитель сигнала сотовой связи своими руками Усилитель 3G сигнала своими руками Антен...
-
Download Images Library Photos and Pictures. 3 Graduation Invitation Letter Sample Invitation Letter Sample Invitation Letter To Friend For...
No comments:
Post a Comment