Pay to stay: Florida inmates charged for prison cells long after incarceration

[Nevilledog]

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local-news/i-team-investigates/pay-to-stay-florida-inmates-charged-for-prison-cells-long-after-incarceration

CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — It's a common saying: You do the crime, you do the time. But when people are released from prison, freedom is fragmented. It marks the start of new hardships, impacting families and communities.

Part of that is due to a Florida law many people are unaware of, further punishing second-chance citizens, preventing them from truly moving on.

It's called "pay-to-stay", charging inmates for their prison stay, like a hotel they were forced to book. Florida law says that cost, $50 a day, is based on the person's sentence. Even if they are released early, paying for a cell they no longer occupy, and regardless of their ability to pay.

Not only can the state bill an inmate the $50 a day even after they are released, Florida can also impose a new bill on the next occupant of that bed, potentially allowing the state to double, triple, or quadruple charge for the same bed.

Critics call it unconstitutional. Shelby Hoffman calls it a hole with no ladder to climb out.

*snip*


Insanity

[AnotherMother4Peace]

1. Scientology charges a "free loader" bill to those that leave (escape). Clearwater, FL is Scientology's home base.

I swear the more I hear of the GOP and Florida, the more I'm reminded about the revenge, fair-game, etc. of the cult of Scientology. I'm thinking that's where they get a lot of their bad ideas.

[chowder66]

2. Yep. I believe Scientology methods are used by Republicans.

Starting with the book buy-backs to get copies on the NYT list.