The Dystopian Return of the Debtors' Prison

(0:00) Open

(2:05) When Empty Pockets Become a Crime

(4:02) Debtors' Prisons: A History

(9:37) Famous People Who Went to Debtors' Prisons

(18:17) Modern Day Debtors' Prisons

(22:15) Other Systems That Seem to Work Better

(29:05) cj’s recommendation: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

(31:12) Jeff’s Recommendation: Emily the Criminal (2022)

We made it to Episode 200! Yay us! To celebrate, we start off discussing the absolute worst financial trap in human history: debtors' prisons.
Join us as we explore the wild historical details, from the Fleet Prison’s illegal, bargain-bin weddings to creditors holding actual corpses hostage for unpaid debts (!!). We break down how a system banned federally in 1833 has managed to sneak back into the modern era through civil court loopholes, suspended driver's licenses, and a cascading spiral of fines.
Finally, we look at how other countries do things better (like Europe's scaling "day fines" that lead to eye-watering, million-dollar speeding tickets). It’s a fun ride; you’re going to love it!

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