No more jail threat for minor unpaid fines
AIRDRIE – Does it make sense to put somebody in jail for not paying a transit fare?
RCMP, the provincial government, and the John Howard Society all say no. That’s why as of May 1 failure to pay a fine for a minor non-traffic offence will no longer lead to an arrest warrant. Civil action will be used instead, like for traffic tickets. For example, someone with unpaid fines may be prevented from registering a vehicle.
Chris Hay, executive director of the John Howard Society of Alberta, said there’s something “significantly wrong” with incarcerating somebody over something like an unpaid three dollar transit fare, putting a strain on police and court resources.
“But I also think there’s something socially wrong with that,” Hay told a news conference at the RCMP’s Southern Alberta District headquarters in Airdrie. “I don’t think someone should be incarcerated when they’re not a danger or a risk in any way to the public.”