Fines legislation - Overdue but very welcome

IT is entirely appropriate, but overdue, that the Government has decided to end the farce of jailing people for a few hours because they have not paid fines imposed for relatively minor offences.

Instead legislation will facilitate attachment orders that will target offenders’ income or property. The legislation will also allow for the recovery of some kinds of debt.

Not only was this jail-for-fines a terrible waste of resources, it undermined our justice system.