This Associated Press article in The Anniston Star touched on a subject that needs to be brought before the state Supreme Court because this practice is a problem statewide.
When the poorest of our residents get a traffic ticket or any citation that results in a fine they can’t immediately pay, they are turned over to these so-called private probation offices that immediately start assessing penalties and late fees at loan-sharking rates.
Fines that start at $100 or $200 grow to many hundreds of dollars and often result in jail time and loss of driving privileges. In states with no public transportation, that means they can’t work, so how can they overcome the power of these predatory local governments?
James L. Smith
Talladega
