MalloryKeaton

I think this is a good idea. I think it's wrong that the tax payers have to pay for the criminals' room and board. If the criminals had not committed the crime they wouldn't be in jail. So why reward them by giving them free room and board in jail? Why punish the innocent tax payers who didn't committ the crime? I think this should be put into effect nation wide.

http://www.click2houston.com/money/4176179/detail.html

County Wants To Charge Inmates For Jail Stays

Lowest Rate Would Be $6 A Night

Posted: 12:07 pm EST February 8, 2005
Updated: 12:29 pm EST February 8, 2005

Joliet, Ill. -- Officials in one Illinois county want to change state law so they can bill criminals for their stay in the county jail.

The Will County Board has asked its lobbyist to push for the change so all counties can try to recoup jail costs.

The county auditor proposed the plan after hearing about its success in a county near Detroit. He said taxpayers shouldn't have to foot the bill for criminals' room and board.

Officials said they'd likely charge inmates on a sliding scale based on ability to pay -- with the lowest rate being $6 a night.

Critics argue inmates are already paying by losing their freedom. And a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois said the state has a "moral obligation" to care for the people it's incarcerated.

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

mh67511

I don't agree. If they want to lock them up, then they should pay to lock them up. If they don't want to spend the money housing them, then they should not arrest them. Just fine them. And come on, room and board? It's not like we are providing these people with 5-star accomodations.

Secondly, every crime is different. Someone who gets in a fight might get locked up for the night, while someone who is going 80 in a 55 MPH zone would most likely just get a ticket. But yet, it's very debateable who is more dangerous. I personally would aruge that someone going 80 in a 55 MPH zone poses a threat to more people than someone who got into a fight. But this is kid of a different topic, sort of.

MalloryKeaton

Most likely only fining them isn't going to teach them a thing. What about murderers? Just fine them? They killed someone and simply fining them is like sticking them in the corner for two minutes. They're just going to commit the crime again due to lack of consequences. People that murder others for example pose a major threat. They committed the crime so they need to suffer the consequences. Why should we the public pay for someone else's wrong doings? Maybe making them pay while in jail will make them stop and think before committing another crime.

mh67511

I never said a word about murder. I'm not even talking about violent crimes as that is a whole other issue. But since you brought it up, most murderers aren't put in jail for a few days, it's years. And what are we going to do, give someone a bill for 10 years of housing?

If taxpayers don't want to pay to house criminals, then criminals wont be housed. That's like me saying I don't want to be robbed), but I don't want to pay to install a lock on my door or security system in my house.

You can't have it both ways! You can't say that you want your family to be protected from murderes and rapists and robbers, but not fork up the money to keep them away. I have NO PROBLEM with my tax dollars going to keep criminals away from my family.

If taxpayers want protection from criminals, then taxpayers should pay for that.

Making them pay while in jail will do NOTHING, because most wont be able to pay. You do know that most criminals who are in jail are POOR. It's just a bad idea. By asking criminals to pay for their jail stays, we are simply continuing the cycle of poverty.

Another example of how this idea of entitlement is taking over in America. People WANT (and would probably demand it if it weren't there) protection from criminals, but they don't want to pay. Everyone wants something for nothing but remember, free lunch isn't free.

Finally, you said, "Why should we the public pay for someone else's wrong doings?" The public should pay because the public are the ones that want these people locked up in the first place. The public are the ones that want the protection. And the public are the ones that would demand this protection if it weren't there.

ETA:I realized that I was referring mainly to violent criminals so I added the following.

A quick way to sum up what I am saying: If you aren't willing to spend tax dolllars to house a criminal, then find other ways to punsh them. Speeding is a crime, but most people would not be willing to put someone going 20 MPH into jail. It's still a crime though so we have found another way to punish it, by issuing speeding tickets. If keeping someone in jail is so unimportant that you would not consider using the few tax dollars it costs to keep them in jail, then you need to seriously look at how you punish that crime.

TokyoNiGHTS

I'm all for this actually. As for the ACLU's comment, I think instead of it being our moral obligation to pay for people that's been incarcerated, it should be their moral obligation to have enough common sense to not be incarcerated in the first place.

LittleMilkJug

What about when they jail a down and out . Will they fine him for not being able to pay for his stay? Then, will they fine him for not paying the first fine?

Citizen Sarah

What about the thousands of innocent people who get put away each year? Not only will they have to pay for lawyers but also for a stay in a place they shouldn't even be in... ridiculous.

Crime happens for too many reasons to just blanketdly say that all criminials are bad people who knew they were doing wrong and could've easily stopped themselves so therefore they deserve not only a stay in jail but to pay for this "privlidge" too.

MalloryKeaton

mh67511;
I see your points.
I didn't say though that I thought that keeping criminals in jail was unimportant. If it's the difference between having them roam free or having them locked up, yes I'll pay. I find it interesting though that we pay for criminals to be locked up in jail where they have a roof over their head and food to eat, yet we don't pay people who live on the street who can't afford food or shelter. Anyone else see something wrong with this picture?

WalkingOnSunshine

I think it is a good idea, not sure if it will work but it is interesting.

Eddy

What do they do to crriminals who don't pay their bills? kick them out?