Tom Barrett of Augusta, Georgia returned to a convenience store where he stole a can of beer. He spent time in jail, not for the crime, but because he couldn't afford the fines and fees that went along with wearing an electronic monitoring device.

Tom Barrett of Augusta, Georgia returned to a convenience store where he stole a can of beer. He spent time in jail, not for the crime, but because he couldn't afford the fines and fees that went along with wearing an electronic monitoring device. / NPR

A class-action lawsuit filed last week alleges 13 cities in St. Louis County, Missouri put people behind bars because they couldn't afford to pay court fines. The fines included tickets for minor offenses like traffic violations. The Arch City Defenders is the nonprofit law firm behind the suit. The group compares the situation in Missouri to a modern day "debtors' prison." It is illegal to jail people because they can't pay court costs, but it continues to happen across the country, including Georgia. We talk with VICE.com producer James Burns and ACLU attorney Nusrat Choudhury.

More from James Burns' reporting for VICE.com on debtors' prisons (PART 1 and PART 2)

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