Short on Cash, ‘Poor Americans Ending Up in Modern-Day Debtors’ Prison’ Over Traffic Fines
‘For ages, those who were too poverty-stricken to pay judgments and other outstanding debts were locked up, and forced to work it off under prison labor, along with the cost of incarceration.
But it fell out of fashion, and became an unlawful and unconstitutional form of punishment in the U.S. back in the 1830s, as well as in most other countries. The 14th Amendment strengthened equal protection under law, that is until recent decades. With new found economic pressures and plenty of new fines and offenses, debtors’ prisons are back.
And it is a harsh reality for thousands of struggling Americans. Many more could join them if they aren’t careful.’
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