New to Clearinghouse Archives - Page 9 of 18 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

People Over Profits: A Truly Free, No Cost Tablet Program for Incarcerated People in San Francisco

Tablets are often utilized in jails and prisons to generate revenue from incarcerated individuals and their families, with high costs for the tablets and access to services making them unaffordable …

National Guide to Court Appearances

Missed court appearances are costly for both court systems and court users. Court users and their families may be assessed fines, arrested or serve jail time, while the system pays …

Why Inflation Price Hikes Are Even Worse Behind Bars

The Marshall Project reviewed commissary prices from 26 state prison departments in 2022, finding that prices for food and hygiene products have soared across prisons due to the lack of …

Revenue, Race, and the Potential Unintended Consequences of Traffic Enforcement Reform

Highly publicized killings of people by law enforcement during traffic stops have led to a growing interest in traffic enforcement reform. While some see automated traffic enforcement and unarmed civilian …

United States Department of Justice “Dear Colleague” Letter (revised and updated)

On April 20, 2023 the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, Office of Justice Programs, and Office for Access to Justice revised the 2016 Dear Colleague to include an updated discussion …

America’s Dystopian Incarceration System of Pay to Stay Behind Bars

As the number of people sentenced to terms of incarceration in jails and prisons rose, government agencies found themselves unable to pay the costs. To offset the costs, policymakers and …

The Financial Impact of Suspended Licenses in Illinois

Contact with the criminal legal system and sanctions such as driver’s license suspensions can result in limited employment opportunities and have lifelong impacts on a person’s potential earnings. In Illinois, …

Arrested Mobility: Barriers To Walking, Biking, And E-Scooter Use In Black Communities In The United States

Inequitable infrastructure investment has created mobility obstacles and racially discriminatory policing in transportation for Black Americans and people of color. Although more than half of the nation’s most dangerous streets …

New Mexico HB 139: Eliminating Court Fees

The New Mexico Legislature approved a bill eliminating post-adjudication and bench warrant fees. The legislation also expands the definition of community service to encourage participation in job training, academic or …

New Mexico SB 47: Driver’s License Suspension Penalties

The New Mexico legislature passed a bill eliminating suspensions for failure to pay and failure to appear. The bill also requires the automatic reinstatement of licenses suspended solely for failure …