One lawsuit at a time

In Sherwood, a city of 30,000 people about 10 miles north of Little Rock, people will no longer stay in jail just because they are poor. It has been the practice in the past, like other cities in the state, to keep offenders in jail for weeks or months for even small offenses if they can’t pay their fees, fine, or bail.

Before this change, an offense like bouncing a check could result in an arrest, loss of driver’s license, being levied excessive fines they obviously could never pay, and even a jail sentence.

According to an ACLU bulletin, in November the city agreed to stop jailing people who can’t pay their court debts. The city will now clearly advise defendants of their rights before sentencing, ensure that the defendants have access to counsel, and offer community service and other alternatives instead of court fines.

The Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution prohibit the state from punishing people just because they are poor. But courts routinely ignore this law in almost every jurisdiction in Arkansas, including Washington and Benton counties.

Sherwood made this change as the result of a lawsuit by the ACLU. It would make sense if other cities did the same without the expense and hassle of a lawsuit. It will be interesting to see the results. Will crime increase in Sherwood? Will jail costs go down? Will every city in Arkansas be sued?

Criminal justice reform is happening, one lawsuit at a time.

MAYA PORTER

Johnson