New court program forgives fines to give people a fresh start

So you get privileged treatment for being underprivileged.
Being responsible for you own actions, thats the America I remember.

WHAT A JOKE SANTA CRUZ IS.

MY BUSINESS IS MOVING.

I DONT WANT ANY of my TAX money to go to this ILLEGAL and TROLL magnet city.

DONT FEED THE TROLLS- especially the city council- They ARE THE PROBLEM.

EVER heard of working fines off.

FINES for camping...- HIS trash IS STILL THERE!

Dont bath for months, do a lot of drinking and drugs.... and get fines for doing that waived...only in Santa Cruz.

Bob Patterson, a Santa Cruz attorney "It's a part of the community that really needs to be helped to get back on their feet."

Part of the community - DONT FEED THE TROLLS

Was just trying to imagine how much that court room stunk of dirty feet...

Those last three comments are really vicious and uncalled for. It is good for our collective soul to try and lift others up. It makes this a better place to live for all of us.

Grow up.

I really hope you're still thinking about lifting others up next time you get panhandled downtown, waiting at the stop light, outside of your favorite grocery store, or your favorite eatery. Or better yet, when their P.O.S. car breaks down on your street right in front of your house. You'll have to wait months before vehicle abatement can even think about getting to it. Anyone have any idea what this is going to do to Santa Cruz? Once word gets out, I bet money we'll see a huge influx in homeless population. Why? Because they know once a year the courts will forgive their debts if they fit the "loose criteria". Come on people wake up 15 people totaling 58 cases...can you say problem?

What is the "loose" criteria? How can I apply? Hello, criteria deciders??? I got this fine here, and my kid is graduating, and I just paid my taxes, and I can't afford his class ring, and I just paid over 10K in medical expenses for that kid, and health insurance went up again, and I have this scary lump that I can't afford to have checked, and my own dental needs have been neglected too, and my car insurance doubled because of my last ticket, and my property taxes are coming due again, and I don't even own a personal car anymore because I can't afford to keep it, and I can't let my dog run free on West Cliff anymore because they gave me another dreaded ticket!

Think you could waive my fines? Please? I'm a good man! I provide for my son, my mate and my customers. I pay my taxes on time, every time. I give back to those less fortunate than me through my wallet and my heart and my time. I work hard, play safe, and I vote.

And I just can't afford to give and live both anymore.

What, no? I don't meet your criteria? Because I have a home? A little business? Some civic respect and a clean pair of pants? Ahh, I see... Because I've demonstrated responsibility in all aspects of my life; I don't abuse drugs, alcohol, women or children; I can't tell you what "step" I'm on because I don't need steps to manage the consequences of my poor judgment.

I'm on "Step One" Deciders. I'm admitting I have a problem. And this "forgive-the-bum" kangaroo court might just push me to that next drink of whiskey.

Of course the court itself that spending all this time with these ne'er-do-wells isn't free and those who get a traffic ticket will find themselves paying for it with "court costs" which are often as much as fines, in effect a tax put on otherwise law abiding people to pay for the real, non-paying burdens to the court system.

I think this is such a great idea. It's about time the courts are doing something positive instead of throwing people in jail. I will support this project 100%. I wish they would've had something like this when I was on the streets & homeless.

wow! that's some good stuff! take another puff!

Why could they not have put a lien on future earnings? Instead of waiving, it certainly could have been filed under,"later."

I also always love the "too disabled to work" moniker.

Let me list the ailments with which I continue to struggle, yet up and at 'em every day to pay for "free court personnel - get 'em while their hot xxx not"
gratis.

I wish they would have had this on the books when my license was suspended for failure to pay parking tickets, & I was working three jobs instead of getting gov't assistance. i'm for giving people a second chance, but it seems it's always the ones who've already benefited from social services who get (and take) more and more. it's complicated. if i had been homeless and drug-addicted, i would really need the help, and be grateful for it. on the other hand, if i were working tons and tons and paying off student loans, i could also use the help.
in any case, i agree: DON'T FEED THE TROLLS. they have ruined downtown santa cruz.
and please vote in new city council members.

Actually, Joe Franco, I own two businesses downtown, as well as elsewhere, and I have very short shrift with panhandlers and idiot drug addled kids from Portland and Seattle. I deal with that nonsense every day downtown. So you're preaching to the choir.

A punitive fine for camping and the consequent penalties for failing to deal with it appear to amount to thousands of dollars. This guy couldn't afford a motel room, and you're advocating that our system is best used chasing him for this money?

It makes Santa Cruz special that we try to find real solutions for debilitating problems like these revolving doors in and out of systemic trouble. In addition to making healthy lives unattainable for people without the skills or resources to cope, it costs us enormous sums of money to run them in and out of the system with no prospect of ever getting paid.

I own property in other, more aflluent-feeling areas of the state. I prefer to live here because I like being among compassionate people. Even though folks get a bit too starry-eyed around here for me sometimes also, that's preferable to the one-dimensional vindictiveness that seems to preoccupy our justice system at large.

You guys remind me of Rush Limbaugh in his pre-oh-I-got-caught days. Remember, it could be you in that homeless alcoholic's shoes. Don't be so vain as to imagine it couldn't.

JENNIFER SQUIRES WRITES: "The defendants, all homeless or in transitional housing, have racked up hundreds or thousands of dollars in fines that they can't afford. The tickets -- some several years old -- are for vehicle code and city ordinance violations."
BECKY: This is what happens when you issue tickets for "begging for spare change less than 50' from a change machine. The poorest of the poor can't pay these fines.

SQUIRES: "Over the last 10 years, there's been a push to develop problem-solving courts... to try to alleviate the revolving door," court spokesman Tim Newman said. "It's a way for this population of people to get a new start," Newman said, adding the new program is also helpful because it reduces the backlog of cases in the court system."

BECKY: Can you imagine the expense we incur from this campaign to socially cleanse Santa Cruz by issuing a myriad of tickets to the poor and homeless for the crimes of sitting down, lying down, sleeping, staying warm with a blanket, asking for a food after dark? What did readers expect would happen?

SQUIRES: "The purpose is to help people who might have something holding them back -- a driver's license, a fine." Prairie Yearsley, 39, was struggling to pay thousands of dollars in fines he'd racked up from three illegal camping tickets, an open container citation and for failing to appear in court."

BECKY: The courts now yank your drivers license if you don't pay your fines promptly. This makes it harder for a homeless person to get back into jobs and housing as lack of a license restricts and holds them back. They Can't pay fines that keep doubling and tripling. This court is a sign that what we have been doing to these people is exacerbating homelessness and something has to be done.

SQUIRES: A couple with almost $6,500 in fees from not wearing seat belts and driving an unregistered vehicle promised Barton they would buckle up if he forgave their fines.

BECKY: That's a lot of money for failing to buckle up!! Please note how these fines differentially affect homeless people. A housed person with savings and a job, just complains and pays the fine, but their life is not ruined. For a homeless couple here---who probably could not pay to register the vehicle in the first place---these fines present an insurmountable challenge to getting out of homelessness.

Applause to the courts for finding this remedy. But really? Can't we have a more humane process in the first place? End the Sleeping Ban and the Blanket Ban entirely. These ordinances have no place at all in a community that tries to help people when they are down.

BLAH BLAH BLAH..

They should WORK the fines off or go to jail.

Yeah Yearsley was so excited he was celebrating by having a afternoon cocktail on the trestle friday. Til the police came and cited him for open container. A new fine. Back to the drawing board. Creating another picture for the judge.Doodle doodle doodle.

I was un-housed and I just got kicked harder, till I learned. You can GIVE a man fish or you can TEACH a man to fish...

I AM HOMELESS. <--caps

DONT FEED THE TROLLS

Barton is a joke...when his family is subject to violence or criminal behavior he may look at this more seriously. If you break the law the judge is supposed to impose a penelty and instill fear.
Not Barton he goes to work to joke with the inmates who by the way have priority over any of us tax paying citizens who may have to wait in the court room to be heard until after Barton catches up all the offenses he new found friends gained over missed time they had!
Man up and punish all accordingly, remember you vow and oath you took?

Perhaps one of your fellow police, or DA's who are dealing with these offenders can give you a refresher, crime is growning in ALL OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY we need a judge to impose STIFF and SWIFT penelties to all other wise why should any law enforcement actually risk their life so called judges as yourself can let them off the hook?

Your not in the peace corps ole grey, your a judge in which common peoples have no respect for, your known throught the County as a JOKE!

Where is the the middle class forgiveness court, Oops sorry - the middle class has almost disappeared here I meant the low income class forgiveness court?

There ought to be a law punishing idiots who can't spell or construct full sentences. Like that last guy. Then maybe the system can grind him down too.

Did you even read the bit where it said that misdemeanors and felonies are not eligible? You think these people are getting tickets for violent crime? Use some common sense, man.