Pay-to-stay (imprisonment) - Wikipedia
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Very weird that I am so old and have literally never heard this mentioned in a TV show or book or movie or anything.

In four out of five states, if you go to prison, you are literally paying for the time you spend there.

As you can guess, this results in crippling debt as soon as you’re released.

The county gets back a fraction of what they hold over your head the rest of your life until you commit suicide(or die naturally and peacefully with the sword of damocles hanging over your head).

$20-$80 a day according to Rutgers.

Counties apparently sue people and employ wage garnishment to get back the money that majority of people obviously cannot pay back.

https://www.rutgers.edu/news/states-unfairly-burdening-incarcerated-people-pay-stay-fees

  • Today@lemmy.worldEnglish
    36·
    7 months ago

    I have a friend who was in. Outrageously expensive! Paid ‘rent’, paid for various classes he was required to take, and paid for each mandatory random drig test. Plus, what they have to pay for phone calls is crazy!!

    • Varyk@sh.itjust.worksOPEnglish
      111·
      7 months ago

      Yeah that is totally crazy.

      I’ve obviously heard from movies and stuff that you have to pay for your phone calls, but not once have I sienna depicted prisoners paying for their jail time and paying for the classes they take prison.

      It’s totally insane

        • elvith@feddit.deEnglish
          81·
          7 months ago

          Let me guess - long distance is if it’s outside the prison? /s

          • olav@theweird.space
            26·
            7 months ago

            @Varyk I didn’t say that. AFAIK you’re mostly down to having friends send you money for soap and toothpaste

            • Varyk@sh.itjust.worksOPEnglish
              9·
              7 months ago

              What do you mean by your comment “I think it’s forgiven if you take the job making license plates at $2/hr sometimes $2/day”?

              • olav@theweird.space
                24·
                7 months ago

                @Varyk ultimately they want the slave labor for the companies they contract with.

                I mean even when it’s not a corporate “for-profit” prison it’s still for-profit by the government. Even in California

                • Varyk@sh.itjust.worksOPEnglish
                  7·
                  7 months ago

                  I’m missing something, because all of your comments are way out of context.

                  Were you trying to respond to somebody else initially?

                  • PineRune@lemmy.worldEnglish
                    31·
                    7 months ago

                    They will pay prisoners pennies an hour for hard labor, which offsets their “rent.” Those that don’t work not only get punished in prison for disobedience but get riddled with debt afterward.