New to Clearinghouse Archives - Page 15 of 17 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Elimination of Cash Bail In Illinois: Financial Impact Analysis

As of January 2023, Illinois courts can longer require cash bail for criminal defendants. Previously, courts would deduct fines, fees, and assessments from bond payments and retain 10 percent of …

Effect of Juvenile Justice Fee Repeal on Financial Sanctions Borne by Families

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 …

The True Cost of Criminal Justice Debt: Examining the Public Health Implications of Legal Financial Obligations

Public health experts have identified criminal justice debt as a social and environmental factor impacting individuals’ and their families’ physical and mental health. Low-income individuals who are disproportionately represented in …

More Harm than Good: Building a more Just Fine and Fee System in California

Fines and fees push many low-income, Black, and Latinx California families into debt, cutting into their ability to meet basic needs. Researchers estimate that there is at least $10 billion …

Reducing Suspended Drivers and Alternative Reinstatement Best Practices Edition 3

At its inception, driver’s license suspension aimed to address poor driving behavior. However, its current use extends beyond highway safety concerns and encompasses non-highway safety obligations. Drivers can have their …

Set Up to Fail: How Court Fines & Fees Punish Poverty and Harm Black Communities in Virginia

Virginia’s courts impose millions of dollars of debt from fines and fees that excessively burden Black Virginians. Through an analysis of five years of data from the State Compensation Board …

Unveiling the Necrocapitalist Dimensions of the Shadow Carceral State: On Pay-to-Stay to Recoup the Cost of Incarceration

States and local jurisdictions across the United States impose pay-to-stay fees to generate revenue. Sociologist Brittany Friedman analyzes this practice using a necrocapitalism framework—a form of capitalism linked to death …