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How Seizing Inheritances to Collect Pay-to-Stay Prison Fees Hinders Recovery and Financial Stability

Nearly every state charges incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people costs, such as room and board, medical fees, and transportation costs – also known as “pay-to-stay” fees. If these fees are …

The Road to Debtors’ Probation: How Criminalizing Traffic Violations Increases State Control and Inequality in Georgia

In Georgia, nearly all traffic offenses are classified as misdemeanors, unlike most states that treat them as civil offenses. This study examines how Georgia’s practice of classifying almost all traffic …

Imposing Instability: How Court Fines and Fees Destabilize Government Budgets and Criminalize Those Who Cannot Pay

In a first-of-its-kind report, the Fines and Fees Justice Center looks at the amount of criminal, juvenile, municipal, and traffic fines and fees imposed by courts nationwide and compares those …

The Hidden Web of Criminal Legal System Fines and Fees in Kentucky

Kentucky’s criminal legal system is made up of a complicated network of fines and fees that can be difficult to navigate and lead to devastating consequences for Kentuckians who are …

Ability to Pay and the Affordability of Fines and Fees

Using data from the Urban Institute’s 2024 Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey, the Tax Policy Center produced a factsheet examining the prevalence of ability to pay inquiries and affordability options. …

Silver Sanctions: Legal Financial Obligations in an Aging Population

Researchers have historically overlooked how aging populations experience non-carceral sanctions, such as fines and fees, within the criminal legal system. This study examines how aging (50–64) and older (65+) adults …

Paying for One’s Own Incarceration: National Landscape of Pay to Stay Fees

Pay-to-stay fees, also referred to as costs of incarceration, cost of care, cost of support, or room and board, are the costs charged to individuals for their incarceration. They may …

Statewide Court Appearance Project Final Report: Recommendations to Address Court Appearance Issues in North Carolina

Missing a court appearance can result in a myriad of consequences including jail booking and license revocations, and an increased strain on limited court and law enforcement resources. In this …

The Essential Guide to Court Reminder Programs

Nationwide, millions of people fail to appear for scheduled court dates despite having intentions to attend. This guide developed by ideas42 draws on more than ten years of research to …

The Impact of Legal Debt on Perceptions of Procedural Justice, Legal Cynicism, and Legitimacy In People Sentenced to Misdemeanor Private Probation

In Georgia, courts are permitted to contract with private probation companies to supervise individuals’ sentences for minor offenses or simply because they cannot pay their fines and fees at the …