. >> they're helping us to become more efficient and they're helping us to enshire we don't get a --nsure we don't get a backlog. i think it's a win-win. i think private probation has a role. >> republican state senator cam ward is the chairman of the judiciary committee and has been following the growing trend. he believes the industry will continue to grow. >> i think the privatization in the area of collections, i thaik that will continue all across the country until you see a concentrated effort to put more money into the collection services that the estate runs. >> by they are by definition in business to make money. even though they don't charge the city anything, they charge offenders like timothy. $45 a month and a stampup fee -- startup fee until the debt is paid off. >> can you tell me if you were making an effort to pay these off? >> we were. yes, sir. even though i was, we weren't getting very far with it. i wasn't gaining much ground with all the fees adding up. >> still, four months after the initial court date, documents show they paid off almost $300 of the $5600 they