Jailers in Butler, Simpson, Allen and Logan counties have all acknowledged that they are seeing more inmates prolong their jail stay to avoid shelling out money for fines.
Logan County Jailer Bill Jenkins said that effect leads to longer sentences, meaning a backlog at his jail.
“We used to have a pretty quick turnaround where we would get one group in and another would be being released," Jenkins told the Daily News of Bowling Green.
He said he is worried about the jail becoming overcrowded. In one recent day of court in that county, 18 people were sent to the jail for inability to pay fines.
Butler County Jailer Terry Fugate said people in that county get a $10-a-day credit in jail toward fines.
“The number of people who cannot afford to pay fines has been increasing during the last six months," he said.
Fugate added that many don’t return to court for post-conviction hearings to check on the payments of fines, leading judges to issue warrants for their arrest. The jail is getting an extra inmate about every two weeks because of people not paying fines.
“There may be more out there with warrants, but law enforcement just hasn’t caught them yet," he said.
Jailers in Simpson and Allen counties told the Daily News they are seeing the same trend on a smaller scale.
“The reality is it’s because times are tougher for their families because the people who are getting locked up usually don’t have any money anyway," said Allen County Jailer Larry Piper.
In the larger Warren County, officials said they are not seeing people choose jail time over fines.
“I would be more willing to allow people to perform community service in lieu of a fine," said County Attorney Amy Milliken.
She said judges in that county understand that allowing people to spend time in jail instead of levying fines just ends up costing the county to hold them.
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