Ohio counties kick people off welfare to satisfy feds, By Josh Jarman, March 13, 2015, Columbus Dispatch: “Threatened with the loss of millions of dollars in federal money because not enough of its welfare recipients were working, Franklin County did what many other counties across the state did: It kicked people off welfare. Instead of helping more of Franklin County’s poorest residents find jobs in the years following the Great Recession, the county slashed the unemployed from its welfare caseload. That raised the percentage of the remaining participants who were working. And that’s the only benchmark the federal government requires counties to meet to keep getting money…”
Day: March 13, 2015
Court Fines and the Poor – Washington
Poor offenders must be asked if they can afford to pay fines, state Supreme Court says, By Mike Carter, March 12, 2015, Seattle Times: “The state Supreme Court, citing the burden imposed on poor defendants by uncollectable court fees and fines, has reiterated that judges must ask about a defendant’s ability to pay so-called ‘legal financial obligations’ (LFO), and not impose them if they can’t be paid. The justices found the state’s LFO system ‘carries problematic consequences’ for poor offenders, can impede their ability to re-enter society and can contribute to recidivism. The high court sent two cases back to Pierce County for resentencing based on findings that sentencing judges, at the prosecutor’s request, imposed costs, fees and fines of more than $3,300 in one instance and $2,200 in another without first determining whether either man could pay…”
Social Innovation Fund
Will private investors help pay for social services? Oregon projects seek to find out, By Amy Wang, March 12, 2015, The Oregonian: “Oregon Health & Science University, two counties and a Portland-based nonprofit will join a national initiative looking into whether it’s feasible to tap private investors to fund some social services. The Oregon project, Pay for Prevention, will focus on preventing children and youth from entering the state’s child welfare and foster care systems…”