Media Archives - Page 4 of 8 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Fines Prevent Too Many People From Voting In Florida

In 2018, Floridians approved the constitutional amendment to restore voting rights to nearly everyone with a criminal record upon completion of their sentence. 1.4 million people became eligible to vote …

Speeding in Texas? New analysis reveals where police pulled over the most people

Small towns in Texas are using aggressive ticketing strategies on speeding drivers to raise revenue for their budgets. The Houston Chronicle analyzed traffic stop and ticketing numbers reported to the …

D.C. parking, traffic tickets snowball into financial hardships

The Washington Post analyzed patterns of moving violations from red light cameras, parking tickets and police stops between 2016 and 2021 in the District of Columbia. The article highlights findings …

Cycles of Debt: Research Indicates That Driver’s License Suspensions Over Unpaid Fines Targets Black Drivers

In the first-ever study of failure-to-pay suspensions in the United States, researchers Sian Mughan and Joanna Carroll examined a sample of over 2000 drivers who received traffic tickets in Marion …

Speeding into the Future: The Pitfalls of Automated Traffic Enforcement

With speeding as the leading cause of fatal car crashes in the United States, speed cameras are used in 17 states and the District of Columbia. Along with encouraging safer …

Baltimore will no longer prosecute drug possession, prostitution, low-level crimes

The State’s Attorney’s Office made permanent its policy of declining to prosecute low-level offenses including minor traffic violations, first implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19 behind bars. Recently, the …

Suffolk County District Attorney Declines to Prosecute Low Level Offenses

The Suffolk County District Attorney implemented a policy of presumptively dismissing, or diverting and treating as a civil infraction, certain charges including operating a vehicle with a suspended or revoked …

Dallas County Drops Jail Phone Call Cost to $.01 per Minute

Dallas County commissioners voted to reduce the cost of jail phone calls to 1 cent per minute. The new rate is a 95% reduction in costs, making it the lowest …

Traffic Tickets Plunged in Florida. It May Mean Painful Budget Cuts for Many Services

Florida’s dependence on fines and fees revenue has led to budget cuts for many services as traffic tickets have plunged since March 2020. Revenue from mostly traffic tickets helps pay …

Trapped: Most States Let Courts Fine Teenagers. The Debt is Taking Down their Whole Families.

This article examines the use of hefty punishment fines and the impact of those fines, and fees, on families. The article highlights the story of a New Jersey teen locked …