Debtor's Prison Is Alive And Well
A woman died in jail after she failed to pay a fine -- for her child's truancy from school -- writes Brian Doherty at reason:

Some monstrous policy out of Pennsylvania, from Associated Press via the Pottstown Mercury News, a land where there is no such thing as debtors prison for the poor unless that debt is to the government, that institution that only monsters question because after all it's there to help the poor:

Hundreds of parents, some impoverished and overwhelmed, have been jailed in Pennsylvania for failing to pay court fines that arise from truancy hearings after their children skip school, creating what some call a "debtor's prison" for people like Eileen DiNino.

DiNino, 55, of Reading, was found dead in a jail cell Saturday morning, hours after she surrendered to serve a 48-hour sentence.

She had racked up $2,000 in fines, fees and court costs since 1999 as the Reading School District tried to keep her children in class, most recently at a vocational high school.

More from the AP/Pottstown story, revealing how they stick it to the poor:

[DeNino's] bill included a laundry list of routine fees: $8 for a "judicial computer project"; $60 for Berks constables; $40 for "summary costs" for several court offices; and $10 for postage.

"In recent years, the government has found all sorts of interesting ways to extract money from people. The fines can be $20 and the courts costs can be $150," Guida said.

DiNino faced fines from nine active truancy cases, which spawned 55 citations. Guida once handled one of her cases but did not remember how many children she had or other details.

Her court-appointed lawyer did not immediately return a call Wednesday seeking comment. Her death is not suspicious, but the cause has not yet been determined, police said.