New to Clearinghouse Archives - Page 8 of 18 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

The Impact of Criminal Financial Sanctions: A Multi-State Analysis of Survey and Administrative Data

This multi-state study assesses outcomes related to recidivism, employment, expenditures, mental well-being, and household spillovers. Researchers specifically analyzed how increasing the dollar amount of financial obligations imposed upon conviction across …

No License to Drive: Why So Many Ohioans Are Barred From Driving

States surrounding Ohio have eliminated debt-based driver’s license suspensions in recent years, but Ohio continues to issue suspensions for failure to pay court debt. An investigation by Marshall Project–Cleveland and …

Understanding the Landscape of Fines, Restitution, and Fees for Criminal Convictions in Minnesota

In Minnesota, being charged and convicted of a crime can lead to a number of consequences, including arrest, incarceration, or probation, in addition to the often less visible financial consequences. …

Predatory Fines and Fees: Revenue, Fiscal Contrition, and Policy Change

Some local jurisdictions are beginning to grapple with the social costs and individual harms associated with monetary sanctions and how they can become less reliant on them. This report clarifies …

Taken for a Ride: How Excessive Ticketing Propels Alabama Drivers Into A Cycle of Debt, Incarceration, and Poverty

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) provides additional funding to law enforcement agencies implementing programs to deter dangerous driving. As a condition, agencies must report the …

Why Automated Speed Cameras Disproportionately Affect Black and Brown Drivers

Automated traffic enforcement is active in nearly 200 communities nationwide. In Chicago, Illinois, speed cameras have been in place since 2013. In 2023, the city generated an extra $120 million …

New Jersey A5587: Eliminates fees, liens, and warrants issued for Public Defender services

New Jersey Mayor Phil Murphy signed a bill eliminating fees, liens, and warrants associated with public defender services in the state. The new law also applies retroactively to all unpaid …

Litigation Victory Signals End to California Courts’ Illegal Late Fees That Penalized Poverty for Profit – $550 Million to $1 Billion Erased

For years, California courts have burdened low-income people with unlawful civil assessments. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, ACLU Foundation of Northern California, and …

City of Whitefish v. Curran

Issues 1. Can a court impose a fine on someone with a demonstrated inability to pay? 2. Is it an abuse of discretion to fail to offer alternatives to a …

State v. Brophy

Issues 1. Is the protection provided by the Excessive Fines Clause of the Eighth Amendment applicable to the states under Timbs v. Indiana? 2. Did the lower court properly rule …