People living paycheck-to-paycheck and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by criminal justice fines and fees. The consequences for being unable to afford to pay them can be severe and result in an endless cycle of debt and punishment.
Since its founding in 2018, the Fines and Fees Justice Center (FFJC) has catalyzed the movement to reform or eliminate harmful fine and fee policies. FFJC has led or actively supported 73 pieces of legislation that ended or significantly reformed 135 fine and fee policies nationwide. The relief that results from these reforms stabilizes families, addresses racial wealth disparities, and increases opportunities.
Following more than two years of extensive research and data collection, this report measures the direct financial relief that has resulted from these fine and fee reforms. FFJC conservatively estimates that these reforms provided at least $37.5 billion in financial relief–keeping money in the pockets of families and communities where it belongs. The report utilizes customizable formulas policymakers and advocates can adapt to better understand the direct impact of reform in their own jurisdictions, and highlights the lived experiences of people impacted by harmful fines and fees.
FFJC led fines and fees reform has led to:
- $84 million in fees that no longer have to be paid.
- $3 million in fines that will not be charged.
- $15.1 billion in earnings regained when people’s driver’s licenses are reinstated.
- $19.2 billion in earnings retained for people who will no longer lose their driver’s licenses for unpaid fines and fees.
- $431 million in driver’s license reinstatement fees waived and $34 million in new reinstatement fees prevented annually.
- $2.6 billion in outstanding fine and fee debt discharged.
Access the full report here.