Two a long time after her launch from jail, Teresa Beatty feels she continues to be being punished.
When her mom died two years in the past, the state of Connecticut put a lien on the Stamford residence she and her siblings inherited. It mentioned she owed $83,762 to cowl the price of her 2 1/2 12 months imprisonment for drug crimes.
Now, she’s afraid she’ll need to promote her residence of 51 years, the place she lives with two grownup kids, a grandchild and her disabled brother.
“I’m about to be homeless,” mentioned Beatty, 58, who in March turned the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit difficult the state regulation that prices prisoners $249 a day for the price of their incarceration. “I just don’t think it’s right, because I feel I already paid my debt to society. I just don’t think it’s fair for me to be paying twice.”
All however two states have so-called “pay-to-stay” legal guidelines that make prisoners pay for his or her time behind bars, although not each state really pursues folks for the cash. Supporters say the collections are a professional method for states to recoup tens of millions of taxpayer {dollars} spent on prisons and jails.
Critics say it’s an unfair second penalty that hinders rehabilitation by placing former inmates in debt for all times. Efforts have been underway in some locations to cut back or remove such insurance policies.
Two states — Illinois and New Hampshire — have repealed their legal guidelines since 2019.
Connecticut additionally overhauled its statute this 12 months, protecting it in place just for essentially the most critical crimes, reminiscent of homicide, and exempting prisoners from having to pay the primary $50,000 of their incarceration prices.
Under the revised regulation, about 98% of Connecticut inmates now not need to pay any of the prices of their incarceration after they get out, mentioned state Rep. Steve Stafstrom, a Bridgeport Democrat and a sponsor of the repeal laws.
The state retained its capacity, although, to gather some jail money owed already on the books earlier than the regulation modified. It’s unclear whether or not the change within the regulation, made after Beatty sued, shall be sufficient to maintain her in her residence. That shall be determined in courtroom.
Her legal professionals have requested a federal choose to dam the state from implementing the regulation towards anybody, saying it stays unfair even after the amendments.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”