I was listening to the news yesterday evening about our dysfunctional prison system.  I know someone who is caught in it. And this is the story of thousands and thousands of inmates in Oklahoma.  They are trapped in the system.

They made a mistake when they were young.  Non violent.  As a result, they were incarcerated.  They were charged for every time they went to court--with no possible way to pay the fees because they couldn't get a job due to their record.  Fees, and interest, mounted every time they had to appear in court.  

Upon release, they were ordered into counseling--which they had to pay for.  If they failed to meet any session, they had to go back to jail.  If they were lucky enough to find someone who would hire them, they couldn't take off work to go to the sessions.   It's a catch 22.  A vicious cycle.  Poor.  No money.  No job.

All the while, their court costs that they can't pay because they don't have a job or a car, are accruing interest.  Once caught in the system, it is almost financially impossible to get out.

They are continually in and out of jail over court costs. They can't pay--so back to jail they go. It costs the government forty to fifty times the amount they owe to keep them in jail.  But here's the kicker.  Police and courts are dependent on the offenders money to stay in business.  That's part of how they are funded.

The moral to the story: don't ever make a mistake.  They can take everything in your car, sometimes the car itself.  That's the law.  It helps fund police departments.  It's not the fault of the police or the courts that they operate that way, it's the state of Oklahoma who sets funding.  Our court system is a mess.  We punish with no hope of reform.  We don't help nonviolent people get out of the system.  They go to jail, don't have a job, sit in jail with their fines increasing daily due to the interest. Then go back to court and get charged again.  And again.  And again. We don't help people get back on their feet.