It is a cruel irony that jail booking fees intended to fund services for mentally ill and indigent inmates in Denver ended up burdening some of them with debts that follow them for years.
The Denver sheriff’s department did the right thing when it ended its practice of attempting to collect old, unpaid fees that had ballooned into overwhelming debt. But, unfortunately, several other jurisdictions continue the practice.
A by Jordan Steffen detailed how a state law passed a decade ago allowing sheriff’s departments to collect of up to $30 had inadvertently been abused.
The law, as the Denver city attorney’s office and the Office of the Independent Monitor see it, does not allow the collection of past, unpaid debts.
That means someone who is booked into jail can be charged the $30 for that day’s processing, but not the unpaid tab that may have accumulated from prior arrests.
Let’s keep in mind that we’re largely talking about people who live on the edge — those who are homeless, have substance abuse issues or mental health problems.
Beyond the legal interpretation, there is an issue of justice to consider.
We understand the utility of government user fees to cover the costs of everything from highway access to a college education. But — and then some — from indigent arrestees is a disincentive for them to even try to get ahead.
The Post story said six of Colorado’s largest sheriff’s offices engage in the practice of collecting unpaid fees.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is reviewing its policies surrounding the fees. Other counties expressed interest, but have no plans to change policy.
We hope other sheriff’s departments in the metro area and around the state take a serious look at the legality and morality of this practice and stop collecting old jail-booking debt.
