Timely Tactics: Leveraging Budget Cycles to Drive Reform

How can advocates time their reforms to maximize impact? In our latest webinar we’ll guide you through each phase of a public budget cycle and highlight key opportunities for advocating for fine and fee reform.

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Tracking Fines and Fees Revenue Can Reveal Jurisdictions’ Actual Priorities

Budgets tell a powerful story about whether or not an elected official’s publicly stated values match their spending priorities. To understand the full story, we need to know not only how the government is choosing to spend its money (expenditures), but also how it’s choosing to raise it (revenue).

This study is the first to present a national overview of how court-imposed fines and fees are affecting people across the
country. Our findings reveal a disturbing trend among working families: money needed for food, housing, and healthcare is being redirected to pay off court debt.

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It's time to end unjust fines and fees.

The Fines and Fees Justice Center (FFJC) is a national advocacy organization working to create a justice system that treats individuals fairly, ensures public safety and is funded equitably. Learn more about our vision and our work.

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Be an advocate for ending unjust fines and fees.

Have you been impacted by fines and fees? Are you a legislator or organizer interested in joining our campaigns? We want to hear from you.

News

Budgets Speak Louder Than Words: How Tracking Fines & Fees Revenue Can Reveal Jurisdictions’ Actual Priorities

Tracking fines and fees revenue and expenditures through the budget can not only help advocates hold policy makers accountable, but it can also provide a means for pursuing intentional budget reform.

DOJ’s Dear Colleague Letter is As Relevant As Ever. It’s Time We Remind Courts and Judges.

by: Lisa Foster, Co-Executive Director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center The U.S. Department of Justice has repeatedly warned state and local courts that their use and collection of court fines …

FFJC Fiscal Analysis Reveals NY State Can Easily Afford to End Predatory Fees

A new analysis of New York’s fee revenue by the Fines and Fees Justice Center has revealed that eliminating court fees would have very little impact on the state’s budget, …

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