June 2011
Mona Lynch, Professor of Criminology, Law and Society, was quoted in the North County Times that the Riverside County proposal to charge inmates fees for booking, prosecuting and housing them, reflects a growing nationwide trend to make prisoners foot costs associated with their jail stays, and the practice is generally considered to be legal. But there are problems, Lynch said. "First, in many jurisdictions, people who fall behind on payments can (be) and often are jailed for failure to pay," she said. "This both exacerbates overcrowding problems and costs, and further burdens the offenders in any efforts to get back on their feet."