No More Jail Time For Fines

Fines given by police will no longer be converted into prison sentences. The changed came into effect on Wednesday.

Authorities hope to reduce the number of persons going to prison by introducing the reform. The majority of conversion sentences are due to unpaid fines, handed down by police for misdemeanours such as petty theft or for minor traffic offences.

Fines ordered by courts will continue to carry the threat of imprisonment if they are not paid.

A previous change in legislation had already mandated that fines of 120 euros or less, or a sum equivalent to up to 20 days gross income, could not be converted into jail time. In principle, a problem with converting police fines into prisons sentences was that minor offences by the indigent could easily lead to a sentence.