Pay-to-stay (imprisonment) - Wikipedia
en.m.wikipedia.org

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

  • Queen HawlSera@lemm.eeEnglish
    481·
    6 months ago

    I have to keep asking people not to compare American Capitalists to the Ferengi

    The Ferengi have a rule book dictating the ways they are and aren’t allowed to rip you off, American Capitalists would call that level of honesty and integrity Far-Left Socialism

    • samus12345@lemmy.worldEnglish
      17·
      6 months ago

      The Ferengi are also perfectly happy to break any and all of the rules if it means more profit - that’s probably one of the rules.

      • Wogi@lemmy.worldEnglish
        14·
        6 months ago

        Most of the rules have a counter, opposite rule. IE, war is good for business, peace is good for business.

        • samus12345@lemmy.worldEnglish
          81·
          6 months ago

          I think they’re “War is profitable” and “Peace is profitable”. Which I guess isn’t really contradictory. They’re profitable in different ways.