Last week the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio spoke out against pay-to-stay jail policies which require incarcerated individuals to pay a fee based on the number of days they are locked up.

The ACLU announced that it had sent a records request to Monroe County Sheriff Charles Black for information on the county’s policy which was enacted in March of this year. The organization has requested documents detailing the cost of the program, how the county determines the amount inmates must pay, policies for inmates who cannot afford to pay, procedures for how the fees are collected and the number of Monroe County inmates who were housed in other counties and charged pay-to-stay fees.

According to James Hardiman, the ACLU of Ohio’s legal director, pay-to-stay jail policies often create more problems than they solve. Hardiman said fines make it harder for inmates released from jail to provide for their families and obtain necessities like housing and transportation. He said if people cannot successfully reintegrate back into society, they are more likely to commit crimes in the future, costing taxpayers even more.

The ACLU contends that the cost of billing, collecting and enforcing payment for pay-to-stay fees far outweighs any possible profits. The organization stressed that other counties in Ohio have ended pay-to-stay jail policies that have proved to be too costly.

While we understand the ACLU’s position, we cannot agree with its stance on the issue.

All counties in Ohio – and the state of Ohio itself – are facing budget concerns in the wake of the struggling economy, and each county’s fiscal crisis is different. We here in rural eastern “Appalachia” Ohio or the “Rust Belt” are quite used to facing challenges, many of which more affluent areas of the state are not familiar.

Pay-to-stay is a cost saving measure being utilized by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. If the new program proves to be too costly, then officials in Monroe County will likely make a decision to pull the plug. Until that happens – if it ever does – we say those who commit crimes and who are found guilty can go ahead and pay the price.