As momentum for reforming the monetary justice system has grown, juvenile justice advocates have called for the abolition of monetary sanctions. However, previous research has not examined the financial impact of fee repeal on families, or explored whether fee repeal may cause an increase in the use of other financial sanctions, such as fines. Using a sample of 1,656 youth involved with probation prior to Alameda County, California’s repeal of juvenile fees, and 745 youth involved with probation after fee repeal, this study examines whether fee repeal has an effect on the financial burden on families. The findings indicate that fee repeal can meaningfully reduce families’ financial obligation to the justice system, without shifting punishment.
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Key Findings:
- Fee repeal meaningfully reduced the use of financial sanctions overall by 22 percent; for families who received at least one financial sanction, fee repeal decreased the estimated total amount charged per family by 70 percent.
- Fee repeal did not significantly increase the imposition of other monetary sanctions like fines.
- Fee repeal reduced the likelihood of any financial sanction across socioeconomic and racial groups, but the amount of reduction was greatest for non-Black families.