[ExTxMarine]

So if a drunk driver with no insurance runs into to you, maims you for life and destroys your property it's unfair to make him pay restitution?

I have seen this type of scenario, and it can be very ugly!

First, this person will go to jail for a long while, and then when they get out, they are ordered to pay a restitution of $600.00 a month for the next three/four years. So far, I think we can both understand and agree with this - right?

However, if this guy gets laid off or cannot find a good paying job, or does not have enough to pay for a place to live and eat, etc... he can be sent BACK TO JAIL for failing to pay this "debt!"

I understand the requirement to pay, but didn't he "pay" society with his imprisonment? How much MORE does he have to pay? And, if he is not able to pay, then we should confine him for getting laid off? Where does it end?

[Pessimist]

“but didn’t he “pay” society with his imprisonment?”

No. He didn’t.

The sentence was to do the time AND pay the restitution. The person you describe has done only half.

I would think (imagine) that he can substitute X amount of extra jail time for the restitution.

Sounds fair to me.

[Little Ray]

It ends when he pays off his debt.

Prison is PUNISHMENT. The convict’s debt isn’t paid when he get out of prison. Think about a kid breaking a window. Being grounded or whatever, doesn’t “pay the debt.” Its punishment. The debt isn’t paid until the window is fixed or the owner is compensated for the window. A convict’s debt is paid when the victim is compensated and/or he has demonstrated he can live in civil society without being a threat.

That’s why I don’t buy into the “restore ex-cons’ voting and Second Amendment rights cr@p.”

[Eagles6]

Well, suppose that you lost your family and are confined to a wheel chair and the guy that did it gets out of jail, goes to work and just doesn't feel like paying restitution owed to you for loss of family, property, medical bills and suffering.

Yeah it's kind of tough if you can't get a decent job but you can't get any kind of job because of his actions.

If you search stories related to this one it appears that a large number of folks just ignore their debts.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013066985_debtor04m.html

[Fire_on_High]

I don’t see the problem. It should be a very miserable existence, where you remember every minute that YOU SCREWED UP! Every cold night, every bowl of ramen...

If you’re truly SORRY, you’ll relish the chance to sacrifice and make good.