Imprisonment for Non-payment of Fines Abandoned by Irish

“At a time when the New Zealand government plan to introduce imprisonment for non-payment of fines, the Irish government has scrapped similar legislation”, commented Kim Workman, Director, Rethinking Crime and Punishment.

“The Irish Minister of Justice, Dermot Ahern, announced today that under new legislation no one would be imprisoned for non-payment of fines or civil debt. “We will have a more humane system in relation to the collection of fines and civil debt. . . . Obviously if people do go to prison, it will be because they have the money and they refused to pay,” Mr Ahern said. “We’re looking at other areas, given we have a problem in our prisons with overcrowding, so that only those real hardened criminals are going to prison and that we use every other opportunity to keep ordinary people who don’t commit crime on a regular basis out of prison through community service orders.”

“The Irish have faced up to the inequity of this approach, at a time when the New Zealand government want to introduce a system that victimises the poor” said Kim Workman. “In Ireland, 3,366 people were imprisoned in 2009 to the end of October for defaulting on fines, while 2,154 were jailed during all of 2008. That 56% increase was the result of the recession, with people not having the means to pay”.

“International research on imprisonment for non-payment of fines shows that it is a very bad idea. It often removes the offenders ability to earn a living, and may result in loss of regular employment. The means of paying back the debt are taken away, once the person is in prison. It is extremely tough on the offender’s family, who are often on the poverty line.

“There is a direct link between the unemployment rate and the level of imprisonment for fines non-payment. Most hardly qualify as criminals and are forced to associate with people who are. Many are victims of poverty.”

“But the taxpayer is the ultimate victim. They end up paying the “board and keep” of the offender, while the debt remains unpaid.”

“There are plenty of creative alternatives available – we need to think outside the box”.

ENDS

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