The case of Marquita Johnson is perhaps the most gut-wrenching "poster child" for the damage this system causes. It highlights how a minor administrative issue (parking tickets) can be used to legally dismantle a family. Reuters

In 2012, Judge Les Hayes sentenced Marquita Johnson to 496 days in jail.

Her 3 children were taken by the state and put in foster care.

• The Offense: Failure to pay parking and traffic tickets.
• The Comparison: That sentence was longer than the average sentence for negligent homicide in some jurisdictions at that time.
• The Financial Trap: She was placed on "private probation" through a company called Judicial Correction Services (JCS). They added their own fees to her existing fines. ...