Correction Case
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The day fines system is based on the idea that punishment by a fine should be proportionate to the amount of income an offender earns (Clear, Cole and Reisig). The system has been used in Sweden and other European countries with success, however it might be ineffective if implemented in the United States.
I believe that the day fines would not be reasonable in the United States because incarceration in the U.S. has been one of the main forms of punishment. Since the Pennsylvania and Auburn system, the U.S. has expanded the idea of implementing incarceration and probation as the principle forms of criminal sanctions. Changing this correctional aspect would be a complex task, taking in consideration that the government is highly influenced by economically powerful companies. A country with five out of ten richest people on the planet and having more billionaires than any other country is highly probable that the majority of the population would reject the day fines system (Kroll). Our country economic is based on capitalism. It would be unfair for an individual, who achieved prosperity through hard work, to be imposed a higher fine because he pursued the “American Dream.”
The day fines system is not a good idea because it would be discriminatory to punish more severe a wealthy citizen who committed the same offense as a low-income citizen. For instance an individual who commits an assault, regardless of the economic status its intention were to cause physical injury to another person, the severity of the punishment should be the same. If we apply the day fines system to violent offenses, middle and upper class citizens will receive a toughest punishment, causing the justice system to be unethical. Criminals such as drug dealers would benefit from the system because they will receive an easy-going punishment due to their unreported income.
Approximately two-third of prison inmates had achieved a high school diploma as their highest level of education, if we take in consideration that education pays in higher earnings and lower unemployment rates, we can conclude that a high percentage of inmates are lower class citizens (Lozada). Therefore the day fines system will not have a major impact on the crime rates or prisons overcrowding since the majority of the inmates are lower class citizens.
In conclusion, it would not be impossible to put into practice the day fines system in the United States, but it would be a very complex process and certainly an unfair system to the majority of the citizens. If the day fines were imposed, offenders unable to pay the fines may be required to perform community service in addiction to receiving some other form of punishment, such as probation.