The US judicial system makes timid attempts of reform, trying to reduce the burden of penalties and fees imposed on citizens. The catalyst for this process were the riots in Ferguson (Missouri) in 2014, after which many went to jail for failing to pay fines.
The courts of San Francisco virtually ceased to issue warrants for the arrest of people who are not able to pay fines for minor violations: sleeping on a Park bench, panhandling and other crimes typical of the homeless.
This trend in San Francisco beginning in 2015, but until the end of 2016, it wasn’t very noticeable. However, once the decision was made to cancel the nearly 65,000 orders issued during the past 5 years for the aforementioned offences, an innovative approach has been noticed by many. And although the courts still make decisions on fines and charges, no one has announced a search for the person who is unable to pay.
On the one hand, social services and representatives of vulnerable layers of the population took an innovative approach with joy. But on the other, there are opponents of such measures. First and foremost, we are talking about city hall and the police. For them the homeless are one of the most difficult problems, which worsened with the growth of prices and tariffs on the property. In the mayor’s office has said that judges deviate from his direct debt.
