My son is currently incarcerated at local county (for profit) prison in Delaware County, PA. He was told that once he is out on parole/probation that if he didn't pay his court fines in a timely fashion that this was a violation and he could be incarerated due to non-payment. This would be true even if he was unemployed. Several other prisoners who were on his block are there for non-payment of their court fines and fees.
It is a somewhat vicious cycle as these are the least likely folks to get hired in a tight economy and then they go back to jail for court debt owed. And then when they get out again it is even harder for them to get work - plus they owe even more money. Dickensonian to say the least.
Thanks for your good work.