VOA慢速英語：美國警告對窮人罰款這一行為

美國警告對窮人罰款這一行為

The U.S. Justice Department says that issuing large fines and putting poor people in prison for not paying them is illegal.

美國司法部表示開出高額罰款，并把交不出罰款的窮人送進(jìn)監(jiān)獄是違法的。

The law enforcement agency said putting people in jail or prison for not paying fines is unconstitutional. It damages trust in communities and local governments, it said.

執(zhí)法部門表示，因為沒有交罰款就把人們送進(jìn)監(jiān)獄是違憲的，這樣做會破壞當(dāng)?shù)卣墓帕Α?/p>

The Justice Department warning came after a conference in Washington in December. It revealed that some communities relied on fines as a source of revenue.

去年華盛頓會議之后美國司法部發(fā)出此警告，揭露說，有些團(tuán)體以罰款作為一種收入來源。

The government found that fines and jailing happened frequently in Ferguson, Missouri. The small community near St. Louis was the center of attention in 2014. That year, street protests occurred after a policeman shot a black teenager to death.  

政府發(fā)現(xiàn)這種現(xiàn)象在密蘇里州，弗格森很常見。2014年圣路易斯附近的一個小團(tuán)體是公眾的焦點。那年，一名警察開槍打死了一個黑人男孩，由此引發(fā)了公眾示威游行。

It was reported by multiple media sources that Ferguson’s court fines account for 20 percent of the city’s revenue. Fines were enforced for minor crimes like littering and speeding. Fines would reach over $500.

多家媒體報道，弗格森的法院罰款所得占城市總收入的20%。這些罰款都是從像亂扔垃圾和隨地吐痰這種小型犯罪而來。罰款額可達(dá)到500美元。

Attorney General Loretta Lynch, the U.S.’s top law enforcement official, said local courts should not fine the poor to pay for the government, and then arrest people who cannot pay the fines.

美國的高級執(zhí)法官員，司法部長洛雷塔·林奇表示當(dāng)?shù)胤ㄔ翰粦?yīng)該對窮人罰款來支付政府的開支，還逮捕沒有能力交罰款的人。

“The consequences of poverty are not only harmful, they are far-reaching,”Lynch said. She continued to say the poor deserve the ability to support their families.

林奇說：“貧困的后果不僅是有害的，他們是深遠(yuǎn)的。”她還說窮人也應(yīng)該養(yǎng)家。

I’m George Grow.

我是喬治·格羅。