Скачать или смотреть Fines, jail, debt: Court policies punish the poor

(10 Jul 2019) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus120097

TENNESSEE RESIDENT JOHNNY GIBBS HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR 20 YEARS, BUT JUST CAN'T AFFORD IT.
AS A PUNISHMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL TRUANCY, HE WAS NOT ABLE TO LEGALLY DRIVE UNTIL HE WAS 21. HE DROVE ANYWAY AND WAS ARRESTED.
SOUNDBITE (English) Johnny Gibbs, of Liberty, Tennessee:
"And in 2002, caught a driving on a suspended charge. I was placed on probation. They added fines and court costs to my probation which I wasn't able to afford to pay."
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, LOW INCOME DEFENDANTS LIKE GIBBS WHO ARE UNABLE TO PAY COURT FINES AND FEES END UP SERVING TIME IN JAIL OR PUT ON PROBATION UNTIL THEIR DEBTS ARE ERASED.
SOUNDBITE (English) Johnny Gibbs, of Liberty, Tennessee:
"Yes, ma'am. Honestly. I feel like I am being punished for being poor."
HE LIVES WITH HIS DISABLED FATHER IN A TRAILER, MILES FROM THE NEAREST TOWN OR JOB OPPORTUNITIES.
SOUNDBITE (English) Johnny Gibbs, of Liberty, Tennessee:
"Right now I believe I owe a little over thirteen hundred dollars. It might as well be thirteen thousand."
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, STATES AND CITIES HAVE STEADILY INCREASED THEIR RELIANCE ON COURT FINES AND FEES TO BALANCE BUDGETS.  
IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, DISTRICT ATTORNEY AMY WEIRICH IS CHANGING THE WAY HER OFFICE HANDLES SUSPENDED LICENSE CASES.
SOUNDBITE (English) Amy P. Weirich, Shelby County District Attorney General:
"If someone's license has been revoked because they owe child support, or their license has been revoked because they owe fines and costs from a previous conviction, we are no longer prosecuting those cases."
SHE SAYS THE MOVE HAS CUT HER OFFICE'S WORKLOAD BY A THIRD.
SOUNDBITE (English) Amy P. Weirich, Shelby County District Attorney General:
"It's hard to expect somebody to get to work and make money to pay what they owe, if they are risking arrest and prosecution."
AND GIBBS SAID THAT NOT HAVING A LICENSE HAS KEPT HIM FROM HIS FAMILY.
SOUNDBITE (English) Johnny Gibbs, of Liberty, Tennessee:
"Honestly, I have a 9-month old and I can't see her cause I can't get out there. They just don't know how bad they are ruining people's lives. I made a mistake. Yes. But it's not worth ruining my life or my kids' lives over. It's really not."
KRISTIN HALL, ASSOCIATED PRESS

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