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Comment by UncleOxidant | Hacker News Reader

This is pretty damn scary. Are debtor's prisons about to make a comeback too?

Dude, that's basically what we have now. Bond, fines, court fees, lawyer fees, prison labor, etc. Even if you win, you still lose financially.

Edit: I forgot a big one. The early intervention or accelerated rehabilitation programs cost tons of money, paid both to the system and to the vendors of ignition interlocks, ankle bracelets, etc. You really are paying to stay out of prison.

They never went away they just rewrote the rules so you go in for something else on paper.

So basically the system in the medieval Arab Gulf countries. Unbelievable.

We already have them. Inmates in most US jails and prisons are charged a per diem just for being there. It’s disgraceful.

That’s not debtor’s prison?

Imagine being locked up for not paying fines, only to be fined further while your in, and unable to break the cycle...

Right, that’s not great, but that’s not what people mean by debtors prison.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtors%27_prison

If someone is unable to pay their debt, they are thrown back in jail, accruing more debt. How is this not a debtors prison? Perfect examples are listed on this wikipedia article. Child-support, garnishments, confiscations, etc. It's exactly what I described.

https://lasentinel.net/if-youre-poor-in-america-debtors-pris...

Inmates who are unable to pay their fees (for even being in jail) are unable to leave. For-profit prisons are real.

So.. what if they don't pay?

often you're billed after release, can take it from any pay you make when you're out, etc. It's pretty evil.

You find yourself with a judgement and garnishment should you ever be employed.

Your post implies that they have ever went away. They haven't, there's just a large middle-class America that's largely insulated from the barbarism of its legal system.

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