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We should not have a system where people plead guilty because they're poor.

Joe Nigro, a public defender in Nebraska and advocate of a new state law that will end the practice of automatically sending people to jail for failing to pay a fine. In one of the state's jails, it cost $5.6 million last year to house inmates for that reason.

Joe Nigro, a public defender in Nebraska and advocate of a new state law that will end the practice of automatically sending people to jail for failing to pay a fine. In one of the state's jails, it cost $5.6 million last year to house inmates for that reason.

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.