Tell Your State to Squash the Resurgence of Debtors Prisons

Tell Your State to Squash the Resurgence of Debtors Prisons

The Issue

Debtors prisons were outlawed in 1833 for a reason. The poor do not deserve to be imprisoned simply because they are poor.

In the last few years, several states have seen a rise in the number of people arrested and jailed simply because of debt (or, more officially, for contempt of court for missing a hearing with a debt collector.) But how often these arrests are made varies largely by state, depending on availability of law enforcement and courts.

One way we can curb this problem: require law enforcement officials to let debtors fill out financial disclosure forms when they are apprehended rather than book them directly into jail. Ask your state legislators to enact tougher laws against debt collectors' ability to prey on the poor.

No one should be penalized by the judicial system for their debts.

Photo credit: Lew57

avatar of the starter
Brittany ShootPetition StarterI'm a freelance writer, editor, and critic. I'm one of the editors of Elevate Difference, a frequent contributor to a variety of progressive publications including Bitch and RH Reality Check, and my work has been republished by The New York Times and ZNet. My writing often focuses on gender equity, the environment, food, animal rights, and class disparities in the U.S. I'm a former writer for both the Poverty in America and Women's Rights causes.
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This petition had 389 supporters

The Issue

Debtors prisons were outlawed in 1833 for a reason. The poor do not deserve to be imprisoned simply because they are poor.

In the last few years, several states have seen a rise in the number of people arrested and jailed simply because of debt (or, more officially, for contempt of court for missing a hearing with a debt collector.) But how often these arrests are made varies largely by state, depending on availability of law enforcement and courts.

One way we can curb this problem: require law enforcement officials to let debtors fill out financial disclosure forms when they are apprehended rather than book them directly into jail. Ask your state legislators to enact tougher laws against debt collectors' ability to prey on the poor.

No one should be penalized by the judicial system for their debts.

Photo credit: Lew57

avatar of the starter
Brittany ShootPetition StarterI'm a freelance writer, editor, and critic. I'm one of the editors of Elevate Difference, a frequent contributor to a variety of progressive publications including Bitch and RH Reality Check, and my work has been republished by The New York Times and ZNet. My writing often focuses on gender equity, the environment, food, animal rights, and class disparities in the U.S. I'm a former writer for both the Poverty in America and Women's Rights causes.
Media inquiries

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Petition created on June 15, 2010