Of substitute soldiers and substitute criminals

Substitute soldier certificate for Siebert, Phillip (showing attachment) (Photo credit: Special Collections at Wofford College)

As we Americans mark the 150th anniversary of our Civil War, we might recall that affluent northerners were able to pay poorer people to go off to war in their places.

Now in some countries, convicted criminals can pay substitutes to serve their time for them:

http://legalblogwatch.typepad.com/legal_blog_watch/2012/09/substitute-criminal-concept-spreads-to-sweden.html

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2012/08/china_s_wealthy_and_influential_sometimes_hire_body_doubles_to_serve_their_prison_sentences.single.html