We already live in a society that punishes the poor in various ways. But does it make sense to throw someone behind bars if he or she owes money? Bankruptcy …
48 Comments on “Owe Money? You Could Go To Prison for Being Poor”
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Thanks to everyone who understands the weight and importance of this topic.
Also, how freaking great is the 30mm lens I used to film this? Good depth
of feild y’all :).
Thanks to everyone who understands the weight and importance of this topic.
Also, how freaking great is the 30mm lens I used to film this? Good depth
of feild y’all :).
I think people being put in jail for unpaid tickets was so people couldn’t
just not pay if they had the money, I think you should still have to pay
your fees if you are capable of it and if you just are are disobedient and
don’t pay even when you do have the money (and it’s not going to living
expensive: shelter, food, water) than you should be thrown behind bars
because otherwise everyone would just not pay because there would be no
repercussions although you have a great point, if you can’t pay after
living expenses, you should be excused because it’s not that person’s fault
so someone shouldn’t be punished for being broke and being outcomes of
their circumstances.
Agree with 99% of your views,
Disagree with the Norway Prison System, Norway is a small enough (and a
rich one to boot) country to the point where honor system may even work.
A country as big as the US no frickin way.
US prison and criminal justice system has to be revamped but the Norway
system is no way to go
Thanks to everyone who understands the weight and importance of this topic.
Also, how freaking great is the 30mm lens I used to film this? Good depth
of feild y’all :).
So not only prisons, guardians, DEA, rehabilitation facilities with their
employees, but also layers would like to keep pot illegal. Not because it’s
dangerous, but because it pays their bills. They should consider making
soda illegal, for some extra revenue…
That would be an awesome way to achieve a life sentence for a one time drug
offense: throw someone in jail and fine them, when they go out and can’t
pay the fine+interest throw them in jail again so that the interest keeps
accumulating and in the end you will have a person who’s constantly in and
out of jail with accumulating debt they’re never going to be able to pay.
But in the same time the taxpayer will pay a private prison for jailing
this person. Ingenious.
Jan Brewer, the current governor of the State of Hate (AZ) had for her
election chief the primary lobbyist for the “for profit” prisons in the
state, at the same time he was her chief for her election. Someone should
really do an expose of them and ALEC who are behind the hateful laws being
passed in AZ, KS, OK, TX and most other states that are passing laws only
wanted by the corporations and the other Koch suckers. They have already
passed the “punish the freeloaders” bill to charge an extra $5.00/month for
people who have solar to reduce their bills, a law specifically backed by
Koch Energy.
So do you not think that Bernard Madoff should go to prison, besides all he
had to do was pay his debts to get out.
I’m Sampling this for a song hope no one minds
An excellent vid. Anytime a profit motive is mixed with the administration
of justice the entire system is immediately corrupted. The US
prison/industrial complex is a nightmare and one of the reasons I refuse to
spend my vacation dollars in the US.
I had to go to court because of a traffic ticket. I am a student and was
shocked when the A.D.A. told me that I was going to have to drop out a
semester to pay off the debt.
The ticket was a he says she says ticket, the cop felt I deserved the
ticket and arguably I didn’t. I was surprised to find you how much an
attorney was going to cost me. It was cheaper for me to take out a loan and
pay of the ticket. Even though it was not my fault.
Our legal system has become a monopoly game. It’s no longer a means of
seeing through justice. Its now a means of getting money. Ana Kasparian,
thanks for helping to bring this to the public eye. And the new camera
works great.
This is why drug dealers exist. It’s the only way to make enough money to
pay off these debts. It’s a vicious circle.
And remember, give the police all your firearms because no one likes an
armed slave…
Hmm. Here in the Netherlands the judges are now changing the rules
regarding debt or fines, making it harder to take someone ‘hostage’. Now
the debtors have to show that actually don” want to pay instead of just
not being able to.
How disgusting
This is part of the rollback of bourgeois progressive advances, which is
indicative of the utter decay of capitalism. Of course it isn’t rational to
have debtor’s prisons, but capitalism itself is a non-rational system based
on the law of the jungle. It actually costs more to imprison people for
financial non-payment than the value of the actual debt.
In Michigan, some counties charged people per deim for being in jail for
misdemeanors. Naturally, they could not pay. And they go back to jail for
not paying for being in jail before. It is insanity.
None of this of course applies to rich, because they have the resources to
pay what is charged. “Equal before the law” is a jingoistic phrase
supporting the capitalist class. It has no substance.
“We” don’t treat people like human beings here because capitalism
commodifies existence itself. In other words, prisoners are a commodity to
be exploited, and those who are not in prison are also a commodity to be
exploited, and those who are “free” can be turned into a profitable
commodity by taking away their “freedom”. But, USA ALL THE WAY!!!!
I agree with your message for the most part. I would like to point out they
are not “Undocumented immigrants” They are Illegal aliens. Which means
that they are criminals for being here. They broke the law coming here, or
overstaying their legal allotted time. They should in fact be put behind
bars, the bars of the fence between our country and their country.
Well, the obvious answer is to allow the state or business that the person
is indebted to to use said person as an indentured servant until they pay
off the debt. Of course, the person may have to be clothed, fed, etc.,
which can also be added to the debt and subsequently worked off. That way,
the lender (let’s say a bank in this case) can afford to make high-risk
loans, because if the borrower can’t afford the interest, they can always
make them work it off doing menial tasks, being loaned out to other
businesses in exchange for them paying off the debt, etc. The borrower may
have to keep any existing job, as well, so after (or before) their regular
job, and on weekends, they can toil for their masters. Oh, not masters,
since slavery is illegal and all…but, why not allow corporations and
banks to hold those who owe them money as slaves until they work off the
debt? And, if their work is worth less than the interest on the debt, well,
it’s their fault for not getting a better paying job. They’re paid what
they’re worth, and their owners can freely decide what they’re worth.
BTW, I’m being sarcastic. But what’s to stop the system from going this far
anymore? The will of the people? Pshaw, like we live in a democracy.
Saying poor people “blank” seems a little too general and stereotyping…
idk though
Since when do you pay interest on legal fees?
She did not accumulate the debt, the system threw it on her.
Debtors’ prison? Wow, 19th century much?
You’re gorgeous, and smart. What a great combination.
Legal fees accumulate interest? WTF kind of shit is that?
Private prison systems are the reason this country has more people in
prison than China and Russia combined (dont quote me on that).
This is true of where I live.
I like the morale outrage of liberals at the mistreatment of losers in our
society. How about the mistreatment of good people? You know, the people
that wear condoms, don’t have bastard kids, pay their taxes on time, and
don’t ever commit crimes. What about incentivising good behavior? Ana
Kasparian doesn’t have any baby daddies, she should get a reward for that.
Instead, we live in a society that focuses on rewarding bad behavior and
the ridiculous idea that losers should be placed in the winners circle.
This is sickening, the USA, sadly are going back in time :(
If you can’t pay the fine don’t commit the time. I was 10000 in medical
debt and I paid that off in 3 4 years.
Sorry, I’m new to all of this:
How do private prisons make money?
great video
Thank you Ana, I’m so proud to have your channel in my subscriptions.
Awesome video Anna! This is such an important story to get out there. It is
sick how our system will treat good people like criminals and criminals
like kings… If you are rich. Too often “justice” is bought. If we spent
as much effort and funding on developing solutions for these issues as we
do punishing people for things they cannot help or do little harm, we would
all be better off. It starts with treating all people as having worth as an
individuals regardless of their net worth. That is how you build a county
that people can be proud of. That people want to live in. Not by building
more jails and comming up with new reasons to lock people in them.
I am completely down for assigning community positions to people who owe
the government justified legal expenses. Give them the ability to pay of
their debt before assigning it.
Well said Kaspa
Or since I’m an immigrant, deported to a better country. I had to come here
at age 3, so… yeah.
With debtors prison in place, I guess the work houses and child laborors
can’t be far behind, if they aren’t already here in some form already. And
we might as well bring penal colonies back while we’re at it. I’m sure the
US has some isolated island somewhere they can ship people for shoplifting
or speeding.
This is some serious shit.
I like the candle in the background. Looks so much more relaxing.
Ana, you should break apart from TYT at some point in your career. You take
things more seriously.
I would much prefer seeing the crooked international bankers go to jail for
the LIBOR scandal then seeing a gal in jail because she forgot to pay the
overdue fees on a movie
Time for revolution.
The Mexican constitution explicitly prohibits debtor’s prison, prosecutors
are technically required to prove fraud in order to initiate criminal
proceedings. Taxes are technically exempt, although similar protections
are afforded to the poor, eg many taxes do not apply to those making
minimum wage or less. It’s always saddening and shocking to see rights and
principles people like me take for granted not afforded to the citizens of
far wealthier countries. In particular in nations like mine which all too
often look at the United States as an inspiration for better models of law
and order. I have to wonder with some dread how long is it going to take
our right wingers, we are now de facto much more commited to free trade and
capitalism than even the USA, to try and change our laws. “It will better
the economy and allow more people to access loans and credit” they’ll say…
I hope, for the sake of both our countries, Americans will soon awaken and
start taking all these barbaric vestiges out of their laws.
MultiCULTurlalism = White geNOcide
Mexico will still be full of Mexicans
Africa will stiff be full of Africans
India will still be full of Indian
White geNOcide
Asia will still be full of Asians
White geNOcide
Private prisons have contracts with the states to maintain a certain amount
of inmates. So they ship inmates around and waste money on incarcerating
these people for pointless crimes just to fill slots.