You are so right. A consideration is that To collect in a civil suit you have to have liability and ability to pay. Parents are liable for the liability/ acts of minors, but insurance normally doesn't cover criminal acts. Even siezing houses usually doesn't work bec of mortgages. Therein lies the biggest collection problem when thugs hurt people.
They have work release programs they could start paying while in jail. They need a in house work program. It's another system that's broken and needs change. I think jail should have some kind of work for the workforce they house. We should not have to use tax dollars for prison it should be self supporting. Manufacture a product or factory of some kind where they earn money to help the people they have harmed. They learn a skill so their is a better chance they don't wind up right back in jail when released. All the jobs that are now in Mexico and other countries because of cheep labor. I think the prisons should be that labor force. Hardly anything is made in America anymore.Pam