Some Oklahoma officials estimate that as little as 5 to 11 percent of fees are paid.
Oklahoma’s reliance on court-imposed fines and fees as a funding mechanism for its criminal justice system disproportionately harms justice-involved individuals, especially those with low incomes. This approach places a significant financial burden on already vulnerable populations and destabilizes families and communities. Collecting fines and fees is expensive and inefficient, it diverts resources that could be better used to support the justice system. As a result, public safety is compromised because court fees are an unstable revenue base for essential public safety services. Recent legislative efforts have begun addressing issues like the ability to pay and driver’s license suspensions, but comprehensive reform is needed to eliminate fees. The proposed legislative bill, HB 1777 (2023), would have eliminated many executive agency fees. A fiscal impact analysis calculated that the bill would have resulted in a roughly $34 million cut to state revenue, much less than the private school tax credit, costing the state up to $255 million yearly. Lawmakers are urged to eliminate fees and fines, which would provide more stable and equitable funding for public safety services. Investing in this reform could reduce harm to justice-involved individuals and improve public safety outcomes statewide.
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Key Findings:
- High-poverty ZIP codes carry more court debt; ZIP codes with a 30 percent or higher poverty rate carry $439 per adult resident, whereas ZIP codes with a less than 10 percent poverty rate carry $46.
- In Oklahoma, 1 in 3 workers makes less than a living wage.
Recommendations:
- Eliminate court fees.