Welcome to FFJC’s digital library of resources related to fines and fees, also known as the Clearinghouse. Our repository of research and tools is curated and summarized by our Policy and Research team and includes key fines and fees research, litigation, legislation, policy analysis and guidance, and case studies. Use the search features below to find the information you need to drive reform.
E.g., ‘impacts of fines and fees’
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Debt Sentence: How Fines And Fees Hurt Working Families
This report shares the results of a national survey of over 5,600 adults to see how court-imposed fines and fees affect people across the country.
Debt Sentence: How Fines And Fees Hurt Working Families
The Cost We No Longer Pay: How Fines and Fees Reform Delivered Billions in Relief for Families
The Cost We No Longer Pay: How Fines and Fees Reform Delivered Billions in Relief for Families
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 t…
Missing in Actions: How Low Appearance Rates Impact Courts
Missing in Actions: How Low Appearance Rates Impact Courts
Missed appearances can have negative consequences for court users, as well as courts themselves. This report identifies four main ways missed court appearances impact court operati…
Winnable Criminal Justice Reforms 2026
Winnable Criminal Justice Reforms 2026
The Prison Policy Initiative released a list of promising policy reforms across several touchpoints in the criminal legal system: sentencing, incarceration, and release. The report…
Community Service Alternatives: A Free Resource List for Courts and Other Justice System Stakeholders
Community Service Alternatives: A Free Resource List for Courts and Other Justice System Stakeholders
When an individual does not have the ability to pay fines or fees, community service can be an appropriate alternative to financial sanctions. While typically available in most jur…
Ability to Pay and the Affordability of Fines and Fees
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 af…
Guide to New Low Rates and Consumer Protections for Incarcerated People’s Communications Services
Guide to New Low Rates and Consumer Protections for Incarcerated People’s Communications Services
Effective January 1, 2025, the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act expands and clarifies the scope of the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) autho…
Fact Sheet: Unpacking The Latest Fines and Fees Trends Across Georgia
Fact Sheet: Unpacking The Latest Fines and Fees Trends Across Georgia
In Georgia, local governments that rely heavily on fines and fees end up criminalizing residents who struggle to pay, with the burden falling hardest on communities with high pover…
Understanding Victim Experiences with Restitution: Research Toolkit
Understanding Victim Experiences with Restitution: Research Toolkit
Restitution reform has largely remained outside of the scope of fines and fees reform due to both differing rationales and intended recipients. This toolkit helps jurisdictions ide…
Redesigning Public Safety: Substance Use
Redesigning Public Safety: Substance Use
Many people who use drugs are also involved in the criminal legal system and have to pay fines and fees. Fines are often used to deter and punish drug use, while fees may be added…
Consumer Debt Litigation Index
Consumer Debt Litigation Index
The Consumer Debt Litigation Index, developed by the National Center for Access to Justice (NCAJ), evaluates how well each U.S. state and the District of Columbia protects consumer…