Lack of Resources and Legal Counsel Resulting in Incarceration for Those in Debt

Although debtor’s prisons have been banned in the United States for more than 130 years, the concept of being jailed for an inability to pay remains alive and well. This article from a Georgia newspaper discusses the large numbers of people being incarcerated solely because they cannot pay the fines or fees associated with their case, or cannot afford the $50 fee Georgia charges&n

Although debtor’s prisons have been banned in the United States for more than 130 years, the concept of being jailed for an inability to pay remains alive and well. This article from a Georgia newspaper discusses the large numbers of people being incarcerated solely because they cannot pay the fines or fees associated with their case, or cannot afford the $50 fee Georgia charges to apply for a court-appointed attorney. Read the full piece, available here, which cites a 2009 study by NCCD.