In a recent email from the Jefferson City Correctional Center, 68-year-old Chris Brownfield expressed his willingness to pay the costs related to his prison stay and supervision upon release. However, Brownfield took issue with the Missouri Incarceration Reimbursement Act, which allows the state to sue inmates and seize their assets to cover incarceration costs. Last year, the state only obtained $450,000 from these lawsuits, a small fraction of the overall corrections budget.
Brownfield’s attorney, Irene Karns, argued in court that the law unfairly penalizes inmates who need financial resources upon release to reintegrate into society. Karns is challenging the constitutionality of the law, which was passed in 1988 to have inmates fund their own costs. The attorney general’s actions were viewed as seizing money for the sake of it, with no benefit to crime victims or public safety.
The case of Ronnie Pope, who was assaulted by a guard while in custody, further highlights the impact of the law on vulnerable inmates. Karns, along with other Missouri attorneys, is working to protect the rights of inmates and ensure they receive fair treatment upon their release. Brownfield and Pope’s situations underscore the challenges faced by individuals reentering society after incarceration and the need for policies that support their transition.
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