Privatized For Profit Probation Industry charging 85% interest on fines

[hal2kilo]

That is a very good solution, and I also think give them the option of doing some community service, within reason. I do think many don't get that option. But an 85% interest rate is absurd and should be made illegal in my opinion. A reasonable interest rate that is in line with the banks credit card companies, like a 10% interest rate or such.

I know, it was so quaint when this country and most states used to have useary laws. So old fashioned. Glad we moved to modern times.

 

[nehalem256]

You're talking out of both sides of your mouth. Your argument is that driver's caught without seatbelts are a threat to themselves and to the public purse. Do you not understand that her current driving habits are no way a consequence of now being hundreds of dollars in debt for a $41 violation?

What are you talking about?

Before she was ticketed she didn't wear her seatbelt. After being ticketed she does wear her seatbelth.

And your argument is what: That cops spending 20% less of their time enforcing seatbelt laws is going to lead to a epidemic of unsafe driving?

Having every small city set up its own impound lot and pay relatively expensive cops to man it seems horribly inefficient. It would likely be necessary to charge even higher fees than the private company is charging to do so. How much a month do you think it costs to keep a car impounded?

Not to mention completely unnecessary. The girl was fined and corrected her behavior. There is no need to impound her car to protect her.

I guess you feel that cops should be spending 100% of their time enforcing seatbelt laws, speed limits, turning on blinkers, and laws against using mobile phones in cars. All of a sudden, you're the number one supporter of the nanny state.

Who said anything about 100%? It seems you are suggesting the opposite. Completely ignore enforcement of those laws. In which case we should just repeal all traffic laws and turn it into a free for all!

 

[shira]

What are you talking about?

Before she was ticketed she didn't wear her seatbelt. After being ticketed she does wear her seatbelth.



Having every small city set up its own impound lot and pay relatively expensive cops to man it seems horribly inefficient. It would likely be necessary to charge even higher fees than the private company is charging to do so. How much a month do you think it costs to keep a car impounded?

Not to mention completely unnecessary. The girl was fined and corrected her behavior. There is no need to impound her car to protect her.



Who said anything about 100%? It seems you are suggesting the opposite. Completely ignore enforcement of those laws. In which case we should just repeal all traffic laws and turn it into a free for all!

Since your sole motivation is improving the safety of drivers, do you agree that burdening these people with every-mounting expenses that has nothing to do with the assessed fine by the city is completely counterproductive?

 

[waggy]

wow. something like that should be illegal. Nowhere else would %1000 interest be legal.

 

[nehalem256]

Since your sole motivation is improving the safety of drivers, do you agree that burdening these people with every-mounting expenses that has nothing to do with the assessed fine by the city is completely counterproductive?

I would think the mounting expenses would be a lesson to everyone to wear their seatbelts. I mean think how many people have heard of the story now? How many of them will be double sure to buckle up to keep the same thing from happening to them?

 

[dmcowen674]

I would think the mounting expenses would be a lesson to everyone to wear their seatbelts. I mean think how many people have heard of the story now? How many of them will be double sure to buckle up to keep the same thing from happening to them?

You and that Texas idiot are just plain nuts with your insane posts.

I bet you wouldn't be singing this tune if you got slapped with usury fees like this.

 

[Zebo]

Alabama nuff said. Basically a slave state still if you're poor.

 

[xj0hnx]

Since your sole motivation is improving the safety of drivers, do you agree that burdening these people with every-mounting expenses that has nothing to do with the assessed fine by the city is completely counterproductive?

Why are you wasting your time responding to the biggest fucking moron on the forums? Dude is a complete trolling tool.

 

[brycejones]

You're talking out of both your assholes. Your argument is that driver's caught without seatbelts are a threat to themselves and to the public purse. Do you not understand that her current driving habits are no way a consequence of now being hundreds of dollars in debt for a $41 violation?

And your argument is what: That cops spending 20% less of their time enforcing seatbelt laws is going to lead to a epidemic of unsafe driving?

I guess you feel that cops should be spending 100% of their time enforcing seatbelt laws, speed limits, turning on blinkers, and laws against using mobile phones in cars. All of a sudden, you're the number one supporter of the nanny state.

FTFY and if cops are to busy writing tickets they won't be rescuing toasters from sexual slavery its a win for Nehlam.

 

[xj0hnx]

You and that Texas idiot are just plain nuts with your insane posts.

I bet you wouldn't be singing this tune if you got slapped with usury fees like this.

You mad because now you're getting some real competition at being nuts and insane postings?

 

[BoberFett]

If you truly care about safe roads, then I find it very interesting that you oppose a viable alternative that actually takes the cars out of the hands of these "dangerous offenders" without unnecessarily screwing up their lives. That's what you want, isn't it?

So you want to ensure that they're unable to hold a job because you've taken away their transportation, all in the name of saving them $35/mo?

Good plan, professor.

 

[Zebo]

I think he wants public transportation which seems totally unrealistic in a rural area with the poverty tax base I seen with real estate there. Shit they'd be lucky to have a senior center or basket courts from what I see.

 

[BoberFett]

I'm still boggled how Mr. Scientific, Captain Cost Benefit Analysis Shira is WHARRGARBLLING over having to pay a company $35/mo is robbery, but taking their car is A-OK.

I guess as long as the government is doing the robbing, it's OK. Yeah, he's a good little "liberal" soldier...

 

[michal1980]

Umm isn't this a government problem? The government contracted with these companies?

 

[highland145]

Umm isn't this a government problem? The government contracted with these companies?

Yes but they got in bed with the devil...again. I bet there's a huge penalty if they try to get rid of the companies.

 

[Ronstang]

Once again the government fails those it claims it exists to help. Keep justifying those taxes to provide less and less services......what a useless lot governments have become.

 

[Jhhnn]

Umm isn't this a government problem? The government contracted with these companies?

True. It's a problem of "conservative" supposedly small govt low tax governance in Alabama. It's a profound perversion of the Justice system, a melding of corporate profits & govt enforcement. It obligates the state to spend money to provide profit to corporate interests through arrest & incarceration.

It's the authoritarian version of job creation, the prison industrial complex of which privatized probation scammers are a part. It demands human fodder.

If we think about it at all, it would have been cheaper for the govt to have suspended her fine at the first court appearance, given that she's indigent. She was already arrested and put in jail for failure to pay, retribution enough under the circumstances. Not in the authoritarian South, however. They'll send the cops out to arrest her no matter how many times it takes for her to fulfill her contract with the privatized probation scammers, because otherwise the state would have to pay them. If she doesn't pay, the answer is more probation, the perfect catch 22. Yes, they can get blood out of a turnip.

It's depravity. Defense of such practices is the same.

 

[Brainonska511]

It's the authoritarian version of job creation, the prison industrial complex of which privatized probation scammers are a part. It demands human fodder.

We might as well just break out the chain gangs once again. Roads aren't going to build and clean themselves...

 

[waggy]

I'm still boggled how Mr. Scientific, Captain Cost Benefit Analysis Shira is WHARRGARBLLING over having to pay a company $35/mo is robbery, but taking their car is A-OK.

I guess as long as the government is doing the robbing, it's OK. Yeah, he's a good little "liberal" soldier...

agreed.

frankly both are robbery. IF a person can't afford a $41 ticket there are some major issues. let's not make those worse. IF needed stretch the payments over a while or allow Community service.

 

[nehalem256]

Obvious solution. Increase the cost of the fine to $410. Then the service fee is less than 10% interest. Totally reasonable!

 

[Anarchist420]

i think it is ridiculous that it's illegal in alabama to not wear seatbelts

 

[Zebo]

All 50 states have seat belt laws now. But that's not issue. Its a minor infraction. Whats issue is bullies making 22 million dollars a year praying on weakest ppl for up to 1000% interest. Fucking disgusting.

Basically a loan shark operation where they dont break your legs just put you in jail until you pay. Govt enforced mob.

 

[Zebo]

agreed.

frankly both are robbery. IF a person can't afford a $41 ticket there are some major issues. let's not make those worse. IF needed stretch the payments over a while or allow Community service.

I dont think you understand how poor some ppl are in this country. Go to Detroit or Appalachia or rural south all been gutted some of them you will be shot in face for $41. Regardless max jail time should reflect min wage so a $41 fine should be about 4-5 hours in jail not perpetuity until it's paid with interest.

 

[cubby1223]

Or perhaps one or two days a week, the police officers who are writing the tickets leading to these fines should be staffing the yards where the cars of those who have not paid their fines SHOULD BE IMPOUNDED until the fines are paid.

That is a very good solution

I see you both support making the life of the person trying to pay back fines much, much more expensive than the interest rates charged.

But an 85% interest rate is absurd and should be made illegal in my opinion. A reasonable interest rate that is in line with the banks credit card companies, like a 10% interest rate or such.

These are low dollar amounts spanning short time periods, lasting maybe a month or two. The interest rate must be high, cannot be 10% yearly. On a $41 fine, that's $4.10 yearly, or no incentive whatsoever to pay the fine.

$35/month is only absurd because you're looking at one of the smallest fine amounts of $41. $35/month on a $200 fine is a much less percentage. Article doesn't state whether the amount is a set fee or a percentage. Heck the article wasn't even linked to help research the subject further!

 

[cubby1223]

True. It's a problem of "conservative" supposedly small govt low tax governance in Alabama.

Oh puh-leeze, Mr. I-know-every-about-partisan-hackery. The high tax democratic bastillion of Chicago has been contracting out many of it's services to private companies. This is no separation between left & right.