My local city courts are sending people that are involved with a Domestic violence misdemeanor to a for profit company that is staffed with one city guy and about 10 interns and some admin staff they take about $2500 from each person over 27 weeks with about 75% of people not completing the program and having to retake the program and usually just end up in a never ending cycle of weekly payments to the city of around $25 to $60 a week to keep their record clean. They are called "life skills" centers but the are just really for profit shake down centers.

http://www.thecentertucson.com/

Is the place I had the pleasure of attending and they just line everyone up in front of the debit card machine 3 to 4 times a day and then funnel them back into room where you watch a video. They are only open Monday through Friday and only during work hours so good luck completing this if you have a job or responsibility (try telling your boss you need Tuesdays at 2 pm to 4 pm off for the next 27 weeks...)and if you miss a week you can go back to court where they make you do it for 54 weeks straight instead of 27. Again this is for a misdemeanor for anything they can call DV.

The judges and prosecutors know this for profit place by name and it is just a shake down. I'm sure it is all legal but it sure ass hell feels corrupt to me.

I was lucky and was able to complete the "program" with out issue. But I'm also not working and have money so making the appointments was easy. for most everyone else that I saw going through the program this was a real hardship.