Congress, Shut Down All Debtors' Prisons in America - Stop the Jailing of People Too Poor to Pay!

  • by: Susan V
  • recipient: US Congress

Equal Justice Under Law has conducted several investigations into the rise of what it calls modern-day debtors' prisons. Over the past several months the civil rights advocacy group filed lawsuits in federal courts in New Orleans; Jackson, Mississippi and Jennings and Ferguson, Missouri alleging “widespread and systemic violations of basic human and civil rights."

In New Oreleans, for example, EJUL describes a long-running system perpetrated by the fact that all the government players - the DA, judges, the Sheriff and even the Public Defender - get a piece of the pie and all depend on “criminal convictions and high money bonds to fund themselves.”

Jackson is being sued for running its own “unconstitutional scheme” called the “pay or stay” program, which amounts to a debtors prison/labor camp, where those able to work labor away for $58 a day in a state-run Penal Camp. The disabled, however, are “forced to languish in jail for months watching their debts decrease by $25 per day.”

Next EJUL exposes not only how residents of Ferguson and Jenniings have been victimized by government agents’ pursuit of profits, but how incarcerated debtors “endure grotesque, dungeon-like conditions" while jailed. EJUL describes “cells covered in blood, mucus, and feces” and inmates left “without access to soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, laundry, medical care, exercise, adequate food, natural light, books, television, or legal materials.' Worst of all, these poor victims are told they may never get out unless their friends or relatives come up with the money owed.

Thankfully EJUL’s work was highly successful last year in reforming Montgomery’s operation, which was similar to Jackson’s.

EJUL says there is a “Constitutional guarantee that no person can be jailed simply for being too poor to pay.” We demand Congress make sure all US states and cities honor that guarantee by shutting down all debtors’ prison in America.


To Members of Congress:


According to Equal Justice Under Law, the atrocities it exposes “are visited disproportionately“ on black communities, even though the “Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments were enacted to prohibit forced labor and debtors’ prisons.”


EJUL states in its report that its lawsuit against Jackson is to end that city’s “criminal and unconstitutional behavior that has no place in any society.” It’s suit against the City of New Orleans “alleges widespread and systemic violations of basic human and civil rights” that have resulted in “a modern day debtors’ prison of staggering scope.” And it accuses Ferguson and Jennings, Missouri of running “two of the most flagrant and profitable debtors’ prisons schemes in the country.”


Furthermore, EJUL provides documentation that clearly supports its allegations, documentation that should make Congress ashamed that these systems have been allowed to operate as long as they have or that they were ever allowed in the first place.


Thankfully EJUL’s work has already reformed the illegal debtors’ prison in Montgomery, and hopefully it will be equally successful in New Orleans, Jackson, Ferguson and Jennings.


But why shouldn’t Americans be automatically protected from these constitutional violations? Why didn’t the Department of Justice step in and stop the atrocities targeting black communities in Ferguson before conditions in that city led to violence. Why does a non-profit group that must rely on donations have to enforce the law of the land? And why should other Americans languish in other debtors’ prisons all over the country until EJUL can get around to suing their cities?


If these conditions and egregious examples of what amount to forms of torture - for example, the very idea of putting disabled people in jail and making them stay longer because they are unable to work - cannot prompt this lawmaking body to take swift and decisive action, then hopefully this petition will shame it into doing so.


The atrocities described herein do not belong in a country that prides itself as a defender of freedom and human rights, especially one that ships so many young people off to fight who give life and limb to defend those rights.


We, the undersigned, demand that Congress act swiftly to shut down all debtors' prison in America - and immediately stop all states and municipalities from jailing people too poor to pay!

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