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The SNIPES case was for a paperwork misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail- but it's pretty close! It's definitely what would otherwise be a civil matter, in any other system.
I wanted to be straight to the point- the issue of arrest powers for fines only. Given how this is used against us, and worse still, creates an opening for further attacks.
See how in this case a (false anyway) "disorderly conduct" charge escalated into the kidnapping, sexual battery and other torture of this lady, under the pretense of "resisting arrest".
Consider how many chances for the criminal-legal actors disappear when there is no legal cause to arrest.
(not film actors!)
Then there is the larger question of what are actually civil-based offenses like "failure to file", and some vehicle offenses, which may include jail time, but are legally not crimes.
So yes the bigger overall point is that all criminal enforcement for civil matters including petty offenses are a major problem. This difference between the USA and the rest of the world is now a major quality-of-life issue.
Civil matters, btw include all contraband offenses (like drugs)- these are not even listed under the "crimes code", they are in other law sections regarding civil regulations. Most people out there don't understand this- "drugs" are not a crime, by law! They are "criminal offenses" against the civil laws.
This is why Europe and Canada, etc are so cool and much safer in general. In any other country, a crime is a crime, there is no exception: either fish or fowl. Arrest is usually prohibited for anything less than a felony; civil infractions and petty offenses are strictly civil.
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