Charged for your stay: jail-time now leading to high bills for detention upon release
Charged for your stay: jail-time now leading to high bills for detention upon release
Did you know that in addition to already astronomical court costs, fines, and legal fees, county jails in Michigan can now charge inmates a daily bill for their stay upon release from detention? Indeed, Michigan Compiled Law 801.83 authorizes detention centers to charge up to $60 a day, leading to potentially thousands of dollars in debt waiting for some unlucky person once they get out of jail.The law first requires a county to inquire as to the financial status of the person incarcerated and shall make a determination from that point forward as to whether that prisoner or not should be required to pay for their stay in the jail. While this is intended to alleviate a disparate burden on the impoverished, critics of this law state this law unfairly targets poorer communities. This reimbursement may even be ordered as a probation condition if appropriate under the law. While this law itself is actually not anything new (in fact, it was enacted many years ago), it is believed that in recent years, counties are acting on this ability now more than ever. Oakland County, where our office is located, charges inmates who can afford the penalizing payment the $60/day maximum. Know your rights. Be sure you know all your options before being potentially sentenced to an expensive jail term. If you find yourself in need of an experienced criminal defense attorney, call the Law Offices of Joumana Kayrouz today to schedule your free consultation!
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