In part two of VICE's investigation into modern-day debtor's prison practices, we explore the phenomenon of private probation companies. To avoid paying for probation services, thousands of courts currently outsource probation to for-profit companies which charge people exorbitant fees for their own probation. Failure to pay is treated as a violation of probation, punishable by jail time, which extorts cash from already-struggling people.

Watch Part 1 here: http://bit.ly/2brPAnI

VICE meets Thomas Barrett, a formerly homeless man who paid thousands in probation fees over the theft of a two-dollar can of beer.


Learn about Why James Burns is Voluntarily Going into Solitary Confinement: http://bit.ly/2hVniWy

Visit solitary.vice.com to watch.


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