4.6 percent of Georgians have a criminal record over an unpaid ticket.
In Georgia, fines and fees imposed by state and local governments in the criminal legal system are a barrier to economic security. This report by the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (GBPI) examines the extent of the detrimental impact of excessive fines and fees on economic stability, particularly among Black and low-income communities. It also includes the findings from their poll on the impact of receiving a traffic ticket, which details how citation-to-criminalization happens in Georgia. To address these issues, the authors call for comprehensive reforms to reduce reliance on fines and fees, eliminate “poverty penalties,” and ensure that financial obligations do not disproportionately burden marginalized populations.
You can read the full text here.
Key Findings:
- The 2024 GBPI poll of Georgians found that 15.1 percent of Black respondents were placed on a payment plan because they could not pay a ticket on time, compared to 7.2 percent of White respondents.
- Revenue from court fines and fees drove municipal per-person costs up 33 percent from 2016 to 2023.
- Georgians in nearly the lowest income bracket saw their inflation-adjusted wages only increase by 12 between 2016 and 2023.
Recommendations:
- End local reliance on “court user” fees to fund courts.
- Limit the fine and fee amounts that local courts can impose on Georgians with low incomes.