Overdue library books row leaves couple facing jail

[Night Hunter]

A couple has been threatened with jail after failing to return two library books on time

 

Cathy and Melvin Duren from Tecumseh, Michigan, have been told they could be imprisoned for refusing to pay court fees as the dispute escalated.

 

The couple borrowed two books. One was a collection of Dr Seuss stories, which they took out for their teenage son to read to their granddaughter in July 2014.

 

Then in April 2105 the couple borrowed a thriller called The other was The Rome Prophecy.

 

While the Rome Prophecy was found and returned to the library, the Dr Seuss book was lost.

 

In December the couple were told they should pay the $35 (£25) in fines for the overdue book and also the cost of replacing the volume they had lost. They were also told they were facing prosecution.

 

Mrs Duren sent a $55 money order thinking that would end the matter.

 

But the payment was refused because the couple refused to pay an additional $210 “diversion fees” demanded by the Lenawee Economic Crimes Unit.

 

The couple were released on $100 bail having appeared in court charged with failing to return “rental property”.

 

“I never thought a Dr Seuss book would lead to this,” Mrs Duren told WXYZ, a local Michigan television station.

 

“Nothing was stolen, we checked out a book and lost it.”

 

Source http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/17/overdue-library-books-row-leaves-couple-facing-jail/

 

[J o N]

Haha, surely that's going to get thrown out of court immediately for being a waste of everyone's time? or does america not work like that?

[bo0m]

Again media want's to fool us!! No way books were used in 2105.!

[Sonofdoc]

lol

[RedBaird]

But the payment was refused because the couple refused to pay an additional $210 “diversion fees” demanded by the Lenawee Economic Crimes Unit.

 

That is the real problem.  Diversion fees are often collected when a traffic offender is able to go to Traffic School to avoid a conviction and a large fine.  This Library late book fine and book replacement should have been a civil matter and not a criminal matter.

 

Here is an article about that "Lenawee Economic Crimes Unit", from about two years ago: Economic crimes unit off to fast start

 

Here are some lines of particular interest :

 

"...for dealing with bad checks outside the court system...; A retail fraud diversion program for first offenders is now being put in place...plans call for a program dealing with unreturned rental property."

"...allows minor offenders to pay compensation in exchange for a clean record."

"...goal is for the program to eventually generate enough revenue from fees paid by program participants to make it self-supporting."

 

People here are very, very suspicious of the many "fees" that various government units can impose upon them.  The state of California has added a "fee" to local traffic tickets that effectively triples the cost of a ticket.  On the other hand, people don't want their tax rates to be increased, so many approve of this form of taxation.  

 

 

Here is webpage describing the "retail fraud diversion program" in another jurisdiction:

http://www.eatoncounty.org/staff-directory/150-departments/prosecuting-attorney/economic-crimes-unit/495-economic-crimes-unit-retail-fraud-diversion

 

It is nice to not be prosecuted for "retail fraud", but this unit charges a diversion fee of $275 for adults and $80 for two "cognitive thinking" classes, making a total of $355.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Malaber]

I see they plan to throw the book at them!

[RedBaird]

I see they plan to throw the book at them!

 

Throw the book at them for losing the book?  

[Raskin]

why I hate libraries confirmed.... well their days are numbered if any consolation...hehe. die. dieeee