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Legal Financial Obligations in Washington’s Courts: Final Report to the Legislature

Funded by a 2023 budget bill the Washington State Center for Court Research was tasked to study the state’s system of legal financial obligations (LFOs), this report analyzes the imposition, …

McGrath v. Suffolk County

Issue Whether Suffolk County’s imposition of administrative fees on red light camera violations exceeding the state statutory cap of $50 per violation (or $75 with a late fee) is preempted …

Failure to Pay The Use of Debt-Based Carceral Sanctions and Warrants in Wisconsin’s Municipal Courts

Although municipal courts in Wisconsin do not enforce criminal penalties, many order the arrest and jailing of people for debt-based sanctions. Municipal courts use writs of commitment to authorize the …

Beyond Enforcement: Prioritizing Safety in Federal Transportation Funding

The Department of Transportation (DOT) provides grants for traffic safety measures, but its reporting requirements often prioritize enforcement metrics over strategies to reduce traffic crashes and fatalities. This white paper …

Investigation of the Lexington Police Department and the City of Lexington, Mississippi

On September 26, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a report concluding that the City of Lexington, Mississippi, and the Lexington Police Department (LPD) engaged “in a pattern …

Medical Debt Behind Bars The Punishing Impact of Copays, Fees, and Other Carceral Medical Debt

Early intervention is essential for improving health outcomes, but medical fees often prevent individuals from seeking timely treatment, leading to more severe health emergencies. This issue is especially problematic for …

How Fines and Fees Impact Family Well-Being

Fines and fees, imposed at every level of the criminal legal system, significantly affect the well-being of families. Using data from the Urban Institute’s 2023 Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey, …

The Long-Term Impact of Debt Relief For Indigent Defendants in a Misdemeanor Court

A follow-up study to Criminalizing Poverty: The Consequences of Court Fees in a Randomized Experiment, confirms what many have long argued—court fines and fees do not deter crime. Instead, they …

In the Rearview Mirror: St. Louis’s Municipal Courts After a Decade of Reform and Regress

Ten years ago, the death of Michael Brown ignited the Ferguson Uprising, bringing to light systemic injustices in municipal courts across St. Louis County. In the wake of this tragedy, …

Reframing The Debate on Legal Financial Obligations and Crime: How Accruing Monetary Sanctions Impacts Recidivism

As the use of legal financial obligations (LFOs) continues to grow, researchers have identified a need to better understand the long-term impacts on justice-involved individuals. Using data on monetary sanctions, …