Yakima County offers amnesty program for unpaid probation bills
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- Yakima County is trying to make it easier for people who owe money to the court. It's offering an amnesty program hoping to collect millions.
The program through Yakima County Probation Services will waive interest charges if you pay everything you owe.
The county will also cut the collection costs in half. This amnesty offer starts next week and runs through April.
"This is the perfect timing. I mean, if you think about it, it's tax season, people are getting their checks back. If there were a time when someone might have a little extra money where they could take care of some of their debt, this would be it. So hopefully, some people come forward and take advantage of the program," said Yakima County Probation Manager Therese Murphy.
Yakima County says about 9,000 accounts are in collection worth about $11-million . If you're interested in participating, call 1-800-841-5873 or 509-248-1610.
Its nice and all, but what motivation is there for actually paying? How many of these people can never afford to pay their probation fees, on top of their court costs, fines restitution, and all the other money they owe to the courts?
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Maybe if probation reigned in their costs, they wouldn't have to charge so much, nor keep everyone on probation for as long as they do.