Civil Rights Attorneys Sue Ferguson Over 'Debtors Prisons'

[ironhorse]

Good God what is this country coming to. These idiots don't pay parking and traffic tickets until they owe hundreds of dollars and then they squeal like stuck pigs when they get arrested saying they are poor and can't pay. Simple answer is don't park illegally and don't commit traffic violations. If they win this suit it means if you are poor you are above the law and can commit any minor offense you want without consequence. This is what generations on welfare does to people, they feel entitled.


"In a new challenge to police practices in Ferguson, Mo., a group of civil rights lawyers is suing the city over the way people are jailed when they fail to pay fines for traffic tickets and other minor offenses.

The lawsuit, filed Sunday night on the eve of the six-month anniversary of the police shooting of Michael Brown, alleges that the city violates the Constitution by jailing people without adequately considering whether they were indigent and, as a result, unable to pay.

The suit is filed on behalf of 11 plaintiffs who say they were too poor to pay but were then jailed — sometimes for two weeks or more."

AND DOES ANYONE FEEL SORRY FOR THIS PERSON? Ever hear of personal responsibility????


"Just over a year ago, Tonya DeBerry was driving her 4-year-old grandson in her daughter-in-law's car. A St. Louis County police officer saw that the license plates were expired and pulled her over. He ran a background check and saw an arrest warrant for multiple unpaid traffic tickets in Ferguson. Among those old violations were tickets for driving with a suspended license — lost for earlier unpaid tickets — and driving with no registration, insurance or proof of inspection.

DeBerry was arrested and handcuffed in front of her grandson. After someone came to pick up the boy, she was taken to jail.

"Just traffic tickets. No criminal act. Nothing," says DeBerry, 52, who doesn't work and depends on a disability check and food stamps. "If you have the money, you would never go through that type of situation. If you don't have the money, it's jail, jail."

Civil Rights Attorneys Sue Ferguson Over 'Debtors Prisons' : Code Switch : NPR

 

[azgreg]

Personal responsibility isn't the point. Debtor's prisons are unconstitutional. It's my understanding that it violates the 14th amendment.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Personal responsibility isn't the point. Debtor's prisons are unconstitutional. It's my understanding that it violates the 14th amendment.

Hmm... What, exactly, should we do with the folks that decide to drive without a license, registration or insurance? Is it OK for folks to do as they please so long as they have no "extra" money to pay fines?

 

[azgreg]

Hmm... What, exactly, should we do with the folks that decide to drive without a license, registration or insurance? Is it OK for folks to do as they please so long as they have no "extra" money to pay fines?

Penalize them for sure. Some form of community service to pay off their debt, but not prison. Prison is no place for a victimless crime.

 

[Grand Mal]

Personal responsibility isn't the point. Debtor's prisons are unconstitutional. It's my understanding that it violates the 14th amendment.

This is not the same as debtors prison. Being jailed for a couple weeks for driving without a license or insurance isn't unreasonable, if paying the fine isn't an option. It's not like it's unpaid MasterCard bills.
Hell, if it's enough thousands I might choose a couple weeks in the hoosegow! Long as I can have a radio and a box of books, a week or two might be quality time.

 

[azgreg]

This is not the same as debtors prison. Being jailed for a couple weeks for driving without a license or insurance isn't unreasonable, if paying the fine isn't an option. It's not like it's unpaid MasterCard bills.
Hell, if it's enough thousands I might choose a couple weeks in the hoosegow! Long as I can have a radio and a box of books, a week or two might be quality time.

Any kind of incarceration for a victimless crime is absolutely unreasonable.

 

[tres borrachos]

Good God what is this country coming to. These idiots don't pay parking and traffic tickets until they owe hundreds of dollars and then they squeal like stuck pigs when they get arrested saying they are poor and can't pay. Simple answer is don't park illegally and don't commit traffic violations. If they win this suit it means if you are poor you are above the law and can commit any minor offense you want without consequence. This is what generations on welfare does to people, they feel entitled.


"In a new challenge to police practices in Ferguson, Mo., a group of civil rights lawyers is suing the city over the way people are jailed when they fail to pay fines for traffic tickets and other minor offenses.

The lawsuit, filed Sunday night on the eve of the six-month anniversary of the police shooting of Michael Brown, alleges that the city violates the Constitution by jailing people without adequately considering whether they were indigent and, as a result, unable to pay.

The suit is filed on behalf of 11 plaintiffs who say they were too poor to pay but were then jailed — sometimes for two weeks or more."

AND DOES ANYONE FEEL SORRY FOR THIS PERSON? Ever hear of personal responsibility????


"Just over a year ago, Tonya DeBerry was driving her 4-year-old grandson in her daughter-in-law's car. A St. Louis County police officer saw that the license plates were expired and pulled her over. He ran a background check and saw an arrest warrant for multiple unpaid traffic tickets in Ferguson. Among those old violations were tickets for driving with a suspended license — lost for earlier unpaid tickets — and driving with no registration, insurance or proof of inspection.

DeBerry was arrested and handcuffed in front of her grandson. After someone came to pick up the boy, she was taken to jail.

"Just traffic tickets. No criminal act. Nothing," says DeBerry, 52, who doesn't work and depends on a disability check and food stamps. "If you have the money, you would never go through that type of situation. If you don't have the money, it's jail, jail."

Civil Rights Attorneys Sue Ferguson Over 'Debtors Prisons' : Code Switch : NPR

They're too poor to pay parking tickets? There's an easy way to fix it. Don't park where you aren't supposed to park.

What is it with all of these whiny people blaming everyone else lately for their own malfeasance?

 

[ttwtt78640]

Penalize them for sure. Some form of community service to pay off their debt, but not prison. Prison is no place for a victimless crime.

What form of community service could be imposed on a "disabled" person with no driver's license and how would they get there? I would start by taking the car(s) and any other assets that could be sold and then demand a payment plan funded out of the disability check.

 

[Grand Mal]

Any kind of incarceration for a victimless crime is absolutely unreasonable.

You're right, I was maybe a bit too flippant there.
I know what you're saying but be careful who you bring that 'victimless' qualifier to- there a lot here who'll bog you down in semantics 'till your eyes glaze over.

 

[Grand Mal]

What form of community service could be imposed on a "disabled" person with no driver's license and how would they get there? I would start by taking the car(s) and any other assets that could be sold and then demand a payment plan funded out of the disability check.

Do you have the ankle bracelet- house arrest in the US?

 

[apdst]

Penalize them for sure. Some form of community service to pay off their debt, but not prison. Prison is no place for a victimless crime.

Tax evasion is a victimless crime. Do you want to do away with jail time for tax evasion? What about perjury?

 

[azgreg]

Tax evasion is a victimless crime. Do you want to do away with jail time for tax evasion? What about perjury?

Sure, why not. Here's what I don't understand. Someone owes $1000 in fines but can't pay it, so people are okay with depending thousands of tax payer money to incarcerate them.

 

[apdst]

Sure, why not. Here's what I don't understand. Someone owes $1000 in fines but can't pay it, so people are okay with depending thousands of tax payer money to incarcerate them.

Hey, you can't **** around when the government wants it's money. I'm sure their are plenty of Libbos that will tell you about the victims who will suffer, because the government didn't get its revenue.

 

[Renae]

Hmm... What, exactly, should we do with the folks that decide to drive without a license, registration or insurance? Is it OK for folks to do as they please so long as they have no "extra" money to pay fines?

Don't pay the fines, lose your welfare and all government assistance.

 

[ironhorse]

Sure, why not. Here's what I don't understand. Someone owes $1000 in fines but can't pay it, so people are okay with depending thousands of tax payer money to incarcerate them.

What should we do with people who refuse to pay fines, fine them?

 

[azgreg]

What should we do with people who refuse to pay fines, fine them?

There are options. If they are employed you can garnish their wages. If unemployed and receiving benefits you could reduce their benefits until their fine is paid.

 

[ironhorse]

There are options. If they are employed you can garnish their wages. If unemployed and receiving benefits you could reduce their benefits until their fine is paid.

So you want to make their children go hungry?

 

[azgreg]

So you want to make their children go hungry?

Incarcerating them means they won't be able to take care of their children at all.

 

[Lutherf]

Hmm... What, exactly, should we do with the folks that decide to drive without a license, registration or insurance? Is it OK for folks to do as they please so long as they have no "extra" money to pay fines?

Community service. I've never been anywhere that doesn't have a road or two that could use a little clean up.

 

[Lutherf]

This is not the same as debtors prison. Being jailed for a couple weeks for driving without a license or insurance isn't unreasonable, if paying the fine isn't an option. It's not like it's unpaid MasterCard bills.
Hell, if it's enough thousands I might choose a couple weeks in the hoosegow! Long as I can have a radio and a box of books, a week or two might be quality time.

I'm going to assume that you've never been to jail. There isn't any "quality time" about it.

Besides, why jail someone for stuff like this and cost the taxpayers more money when you can put them on a chain gang for a few days or weeks and SAVE the taxpayers money?

 

[CanadaJohn]

This thread is a sad reminder that in a welfare society some people tend to feel entitled to their entitlements and they tend to ignore or never develop a sense of personal responsibility. When government takes over large parts of your life, you tend to feel that government is responsible for providing you a comfortable life.

Taking away someone's freedom is often the only cure for a sense of entitlement with no comprehension of responsibility.

 

[blackjack50]

Penalize them for sure. Some form of community service to pay off their debt, but not prison. Prison is no place for a victimless crime.

That isn't s victimless crime. They run into people, cause damage, and there is no penalty if they don't pay. They don't have insurance. They won't even pay traffic tickets.

I saw this a lot. People not paying and driving on suspended licenses getting ANOTHER ticket for a car accident and causing problems for those of us who do.

 

[ludin]

Personal responsibility isn't the point. Debtor's prisons are unconstitutional. It's my understanding that it violates the 14th amendment.

It isn't debtors prison. failing to pay a parking ticket gets you jail time. multiple failures ups the penalty of the citation. from just a ticket up to a misdemeanor if they are bad enough.
It is a personal responsibility.

Driving is a privilege not a right. if you want to drive then you need to obey the rules of the road.
I think I have gotten 2 tickets since I was 18 in driving. both my fault. I paid the fine and went on with my life.

what right do they have to break the law and not have to pay the fine for doing it?
how hard is it to not get a parking ticket or multiple parking tickets?

Driving on suspended licenses, with no insurance is a danger to other people and there is a reason that their license has been suspended.
you are not allowed to drive at all without insurance. why? because you endanger other people with your carelessness.

 

[azgreg]

That isn't s victimless crime. They run into people, cause damage, and there is no penalty if they don't pay. They don't have insurance. They won't even pay traffic tickets.

I saw this a lot. People not paying and driving on suspended licenses getting ANOTHER ticket for a car accident and causing problems for those of us who do.

Many of these people are jailed for failing to pay court fees, and most traffic violations do not involve another person. Hence the term victimless.

 

[ludin]

I'm going to assume that you've never been to jail. There isn't any "quality time" about it.

Besides, why jail someone for stuff like this and cost the taxpayers more money when you can put them on a chain gang for a few days or weeks and SAVE the taxpayers money?

chain gangs are considered cruel and unusual punishment. it isn't fair that they have to get out there and clean up roads.
she is supposedly disabled. under the law she is not allowed to do that more so if she is on full disability.

so since she is on full disability and can't do any of that she can sit and learn her lesson about not being able to park her car correctly.
or not carrying insurance or driving on a suspended license.

if she wants to drive then it is her responsibility to ensure she takes car of these things.