In 2022, Dauphin County ended its pay-to-stay policy, which charged incarcerated people daily fees for their incarceration, but left the outstanding debts intact. After realizing that collection efforts cost nearly as much as the revenue they generated, the county board voted in 2024 to discharge almost $66 million in jail-related debt owed by formerly incarcerated individuals. The decision marked a major victory for advocates who argued that “pay-to-stay” policies trapped vulnerable individuals in cycles of debt and poverty, made it almost impossible for people to secure housing, jobs, or stability after release, and undermined public safety by pushing many toward survival-driven recidivism. The Dauphin County decision adds to growing national momentum against pay-to-stay practices and broader economic punishment in the criminal legal system.
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