[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"views\/views.ajax,views\/views.module","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__375731__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"375731","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/375731","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__375731__en","pager_element":0}}},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"0ae5601d8790ff50fca3cf23b9ac9170285f2f75823ebdc8d9cc054bc03a679b"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":"\u003Clink rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 href=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_rT06N1hzNwWZvlauEGw5ZNFVKBrR23ibx56HC8Lyx4M.css\u0022 \/\u003E\n"},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_svkrpusmrjSaaV8heRnsa8-TbrEsMLumxMQD8vstdR8.js"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__375731__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__375731__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBy Komala Ramachandra\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EA\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.americanbar.org\/content\/dam\/aba\/administrative\/legal_aid_indigent_defendants\/ls-sclaid-def-aba-privatizaton-report-final-june-2020.pdf\u0022\u003Enew report\u003C\/a\u003E\u00a0by the American Bar Association (ABA) shows how growing privatization in the US criminal legal system and the financial burden created by \u201cuser fees\u201d is effectively\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/06\/21\/us-criminal-justice-system-fuels-poverty-cycle\u0022\u003Ecriminalizing poverty\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe report, \u201cPrivatization of Services in the Criminal Justice System,\u201d finds that private companies are now involved in almost every stage of the criminal process. These companies provide pretrial services, like bail, supervision, electronic monitoring, and alcohol and drug testing. Courts may also offer private diversion programs that allow people to avoid a criminal record upon successful completion. After a person is convicted or accepts a plea deal, they can be assigned to private community supervision or probation.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAlmost all of these services entail \u201cuser fees\u201d often set by and paid directly to the private provider, with little government oversight. Even collection of these charges may carry additional fees or commissions for the collection agencies, again paid by the individual. Human Rights Watch has documented the pernicious impact of\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2017\/04\/11\/us-california-bail-system-penalizes-poor\u0022\u003Ecash bail\u003C\/a\u003E\u00a0and\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2018\/02\/20\/us-private-probation-harming-poor\u0022\u003Eprivate probation\u003C\/a\u003E, particularly on those living in poverty.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EPeople can also rack up charges while incarcerated, including charges for health care, basic supplies in the commissary, telephones or electronic communication, and financial services like money transfers.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe system can be expensive for anyone but is particularly harmful for low-income people. When an individual is unable to pay, they may face a range of consequences, including extended supervision terms, arrest warrants, additional court hearings, and even jail or prison time. That can mean even more fines and fees because it takes longer to pay them off. This effectively creates a two-tiered justice system that privileges those who can afford to pay fines and fees quickly, and traps those who cannot. It also means low-income people may pay more for the same offense.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis report follows on the ABA\u2019s\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.americanbar.org\/content\/dam\/aba\/administrative\/legal_aid_indigent_defendants\/ls_sclaid_ind_10_guidelines_court_fines.pdf\u0022\u003E\u201cTen Guidelines on Court Fines and Fees,\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E\u00a0which provided recommendations to court officials to prevent fines and fees being used to penalize people who are unable to pay their court debt.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe ABA\u2019s recommendations include increasing transparency, regulation, and supervision of private companies, and significantly reducing the use of fines and user fees. Crucially, judges should always assess an individual\u2019s ability to pay and waive costs when they cannot afford them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null}]