Richie
02-06-2011, 03:51 PM
This is ridculous, this is how bad things are getting. Prison for not paying your television licence, yet our ******* government can rape our nation of 89 billion and our banks can rape the country of 891 billion and skip of scot free.
A SHARP increase has been recorded in the numbers of people jailed for non-payment of small fines.
A total of 541 people were jailed last year for failing to pay parking, TV licence and other fines -- up from 63 in 2007.
This was despite the introduction of the Fines Act, which provides alternatives to imprisonment in cases where small penalties are not paid.
SYSTEM
The legislation allows for the payment of fines by instalments over a year or even over two years.
However, Justice Minister Alan Shatter has revealed the instalment system has not been implemented yet as the Courts Service computers have not been updated to cater for the new method.
Figures show a rise in the number of jail sentences for non-payment of small fines throughout the economic crisis, from 145 in 2008 to 298 in 2009 and 541 last year.
Parking fines accounted for the majority, with 382 people given custodial sentences in 2010 for not paying the penalties.
In 2007, the figure for parking fines was a mere 36.
Separate data shows that 6,681 people were jailed for non-payment of court-ordered fines -- amounting to €43m -- last year.
The Irish Penal Reform Trust executive director Liam Herrick said the figures indicated the principle of imprisonment as a last resort in the case of fine defaulters had not yet become reality.
"As well as avoidable costs to prisons, courts and gardai, more importantly individuals are being committed to our overcrowded and unsafe prisons in cases where judges have already determined that prisons sentences are not appropriate," he said.
WASTEFUL
"Although most fine defaulters are released after only a short time in prison, this redundant exercise is extremely costly and wasteful in terms of courts, gardai and prison resources."
It emerged last year that individuals jailed for non-payment of fines were having their fines waived on arrival at prison gates under a new system.
Source: http://www.herald.ie/national-news/541-people-thrown-in-jail-for-failing-to-pay-tiny-fines-2661201.html
A SHARP increase has been recorded in the numbers of people jailed for non-payment of small fines.
A total of 541 people were jailed last year for failing to pay parking, TV licence and other fines -- up from 63 in 2007.
This was despite the introduction of the Fines Act, which provides alternatives to imprisonment in cases where small penalties are not paid.
SYSTEM
The legislation allows for the payment of fines by instalments over a year or even over two years.
However, Justice Minister Alan Shatter has revealed the instalment system has not been implemented yet as the Courts Service computers have not been updated to cater for the new method.
Figures show a rise in the number of jail sentences for non-payment of small fines throughout the economic crisis, from 145 in 2008 to 298 in 2009 and 541 last year.
Parking fines accounted for the majority, with 382 people given custodial sentences in 2010 for not paying the penalties.
In 2007, the figure for parking fines was a mere 36.
Separate data shows that 6,681 people were jailed for non-payment of court-ordered fines -- amounting to €43m -- last year.
The Irish Penal Reform Trust executive director Liam Herrick said the figures indicated the principle of imprisonment as a last resort in the case of fine defaulters had not yet become reality.
"As well as avoidable costs to prisons, courts and gardai, more importantly individuals are being committed to our overcrowded and unsafe prisons in cases where judges have already determined that prisons sentences are not appropriate," he said.
WASTEFUL
"Although most fine defaulters are released after only a short time in prison, this redundant exercise is extremely costly and wasteful in terms of courts, gardai and prison resources."
It emerged last year that individuals jailed for non-payment of fines were having their fines waived on arrival at prison gates under a new system.
Source: http://www.herald.ie/national-news/541-people-thrown-in-jail-for-failing-to-pay-tiny-fines-2661201.html