AL HB 200
The Alabama legislature recently introduced a bill that would prohibit driver’s license suspensions for failure to pay a fine, fee, court cost or restitution imposed as a result of a …
Criminalizing Poverty: The Consequences of Court Fees in a Randomized Experiment
Using a randomized controlled trial of court related fee relief for misdemeanor defendants, the authors tested the hypothesis that financial obligations criminalize poverty and later court involvement results from an …
The High Cost of a Fresh Start: A State by State Analysis of Court Debt as a Bar to Record Clearing
A criminal record can make it hard to get a job, support a family, secure housing, vote, and ultimately pay off fines and fees. Despite efforts by states to provide …
Justice-Involved Individuals and the Consumer Financial Marketplace
Contact with the justice system can destabilize people’s financial situation. This report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau outlines the challenges justice-involved individuals and their families face due to predatory …
Red-Light and Speed Cameras: Analyzing the Equity and Efficacy of Chicago’s Automated Camera Enforcement Program
This report analyzes Chicago’s automated red-light and speed camera program. Using data from red-light and speed camera tickets issued between 2016 and 2019, the authors evaluate the distribution of camera …
Dreams Deferred: The Impact of Juvenile Fees on Florida’s Children, Families, and Future
This report outlines the catastrophic consequences of juvenile fee debt for Florida’s children, families, and economy including: increased poverty, increased recidivism, and the exacerbation of racial disparities in the justice system.
What is Wrong with Monetary Sanctions? Directions for Policy, Practice, and Research
Each year tens of millions of people are assessed fines, fees, and other costs stemming from their contacts with the criminal legal system, ranging from felony convictions to traffic violations. …
Private Probation Costs, Compliance and the Proportionality of Punishment: Evidence from Georgia and Missouri
In misdemeanor courts, private probation companies provide supervision in at least a dozen states. Private probation is often accompanied by a number of unique supplementary costs, all of which individuals …
Utah S.B. 120 Juvenile Justice Amendments
Utah introduced a bill to end the assessment of monetary fines in juvenile court cases. Key provisions: Repeals the requirement that the juvenile court impose a surcharge on penalties assessed …
IL SB 3635
Illinois introduced legislation that would eliminate the requirement that a driver’s license be suspended for failure to appear. The bill would also eliminate the authority of the court to decline to process a …