Alabama Takes From the Poor and Gives to the Rich
To raise taxes in Alabama, cities and counties must go through the state legislature to initiate a constitutional amendment allowing them to pass a law to raise property or income …
In Small-Town Georgia, A Broken Taillight Can Lead to Spiraling Debt
Georgia is one of the few states that criminalize traffic fines and allow localities to outsource misdemeanor probation supervision to private companies that are permitted to charge fees. This article …
Town Hall: Beyond Policing for Profit
This special report follows up on the January 2022 AL.com investigative report shedding light on Brookside’s police department’s aggressive ticketing and towing practices to raise revenue for the department and …
OKC Municipal Court Programs Provide Real Alternatives To Incarceration
Oklahoma City has taken a holistic approach to removing barriers to progress for people in Oklahoma City that have been criminalized due to their poverty and homelessness. Through a collection …
New Florida Law Offers More Affordable Payment Plan For Court-Ordered Fees
In Florida, 70 percent of the millions of people with suspended driver’s licenses are due to unpaid fines and fees. Under a new Florida law, Floridians with outstanding court fees …
Forcing People To Pay For Being Locked Up Remains Common
Across all 50 states, states and municipalities charge children and adults for their incarceration. Some states sue incarcerated individuals for the total cost of incarceration, often ranging from $10,000 to …
The Price Kids Pay: Schools and Police Punish Students with Costly Tickets for Minor Misbehavior
In 2015 Illinois legislators passed Senate Bill 100 prohibiting schools from fining students as a form of discipline. However, the law did not apply to police and schools have since …
Policing-for-Profit Undermines Public Safety. This Town Shows A Better Way
Relying on tickets to fund government is counterproductive to public safety and can erode trust between community and law enforcement while worsening long-standing economic inequalities when residents can’t afford to …
How Corporations Turned Prison Tablets Into a Predatory Scheme
Tablets have become another commodity that predatory corporations use to price gouge incarcerated people. In 2017, JPay distributed free mini-tablets to the prison population in New York, providing access to …
Audit: Nevada Prisons Overcharging At Inmate Store, Paying Excessive Overtime
Disadvantaged prisoners in Nevada’s prisons may struggle with obtaining basic needs due to markups on goods in the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) system. A recent audit by the governor’s …