Thursday, December 01, 2005
DOCTOR'S VISIT IN JASPER JAIL MAY COST INMATE UP TO $75
A few months ago the following AP article appeared in the Post and Courier. Assuming for the sake of argument, that most of the prisoners serving time for non-payment of child support are in fact "deadbeats" who just refuse to apply their vast resources to their legal obligations, then what about those who are in jail either by error of the system or because of inability to pay? Are we now going to deny them medical treatment because they cannot pay $75? Are we now going to create some sort of commission to determine who has the ability to pay? And, if so, how much will that cost the taxpayers?
We smell another lawsuit coming on. Inevitably, someone will die of undetected cancer because he did not have the ability to pay the $75. When will we learn that jails are not revenue raising institutions and that we should not keep people in county jails any more than necessary?_____________________________________________
RIDGELAND--Jasper County is considering a plan to charge inmates as much as $75 to see a doctor while serving time in jail.The plan, which has to be drawn up as an ordinance before the County Council votes on it, also would charge prisoners $10 just for entering the jail and $25 to see a nurse, among other fees. The money would be deducted from inmates' canteen accounts, which are set up by families to let prisoners buy personal items.Hodges proposed the fees to cover an unanticipated increase in costs at the county's new jail.
The daily inmate population average increased by more than 50 percent from the old jail, which means the new $6.7 million facility could see a $70,000 deficit in its budget for meals and medical costs, county officials said.The plan drew criticism from prisoner advocates."
These (fees) are harmful," said Eunice McAllister with the South Carolina Prisoners' Advocacy Network. "These are poor people being charged for things the government should pay for."
Other counties charge inmates significantly less for doctors' visits. Colleton County charges $6, and Greenville, Richland, Kershaw, Charleston and Pickens counties charge $5 per visit.
A few months ago the following AP article appeared in the Post and Courier. Assuming for the sake of argument, that most of the prisoners serving time for non-payment of child support are in fact "deadbeats" who just refuse to apply their vast resources to their legal obligations, then what about those who are in jail either by error of the system or because of inability to pay? Are we now going to deny them medical treatment because they cannot pay $75? Are we now going to create some sort of commission to determine who has the ability to pay? And, if so, how much will that cost the taxpayers?
We smell another lawsuit coming on. Inevitably, someone will die of undetected cancer because he did not have the ability to pay the $75. When will we learn that jails are not revenue raising institutions and that we should not keep people in county jails any more than necessary?_____________________________________________
RIDGELAND--Jasper County is considering a plan to charge inmates as much as $75 to see a doctor while serving time in jail.The plan, which has to be drawn up as an ordinance before the County Council votes on it, also would charge prisoners $10 just for entering the jail and $25 to see a nurse, among other fees. The money would be deducted from inmates' canteen accounts, which are set up by families to let prisoners buy personal items.Hodges proposed the fees to cover an unanticipated increase in costs at the county's new jail.
The daily inmate population average increased by more than 50 percent from the old jail, which means the new $6.7 million facility could see a $70,000 deficit in its budget for meals and medical costs, county officials said.The plan drew criticism from prisoner advocates."
These (fees) are harmful," said Eunice McAllister with the South Carolina Prisoners' Advocacy Network. "These are poor people being charged for things the government should pay for."
Other counties charge inmates significantly less for doctors' visits. Colleton County charges $6, and Greenville, Richland, Kershaw, Charleston and Pickens counties charge $5 per visit.
