For Offenders Who Can’t Pay, It’s a Pint of Blood or Jail Time
nytimes.com
nytimes.com
One hour in the "pillory box" just outside the courthouse. with large signs saying I'm too poor to pay the fine, so I chose to be humiliated instead.
Or the state installs a large treadmill outside the courthouse and connects the output to a generator. One hour of hard exercise on the treadmill sets you free.
It seems to me that donating blood is similar to community service as an alternative to jail or fines--you are being given the chance to do something generally recognized as good for the community, and that non-convicts are encouraged to and often do volunteer for.
The bail bond industry prevents a lot of people from languishing in jail, but it still exploits people. Maybe more people should be released on their own recognizance instead of asking for bail. This should always be the case for non-violent crimes. For violent crimes, maybe there should be no bail (I know this is a potential constitutional issue).