Key points

Fines are meant to inhibit bad behavior.

If millionaires and the poor both pay the same amount, millionaires hardly feel the pinch.

If millionaires and the poor pay the same amount, it is unfair to the poorer person.

Graduated fines, like a graduated income tax, seem both prudent and fair

A cop pulled me over on the West Side Highway in New York City. He said that my European license plate was invalid. I told him that I was returning from a Peace Corps stint and had bought and driven the car overseas. He warned me that I had better get New York plates, then guided me back to the highway. Another cop, he said, may not be so lenient.

My bank account was paltry, and I was not yet employed. Any fine, no matter how small, was a big deal to me. The next morning, I arranged for N

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