Think Debtors Prisons Are a Thing of the Past? Not in Mississippi
Marshall Project
Mississippi appears to be the only state where judges lock people up for an indefinite time while they work to earn money to pay off court-ordered debts. While there is no comprehensive data, legal experts who study fines, fees and restitution say Mississippi is unique. Judges have sentenced hundreds of people a year to restitution centers around the state, almost always ordering them to stay until they pay off court fees, fines and restitution to victims.