Recommended Archives - Page 7 of 21 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Suffolk County District Attorney Declines to Prosecute Low Level Offenses

The Suffolk County District Attorney implemented a policy of presumptively dismissing, or diverting and treating as a civil infraction, certain charges including operating a vehicle with a suspended or revoked …

Arizona Senate Bill 1551: Driver license suspensions; restrictions

The Arizona legislature passed AZ SB 1551 ending driver’s license suspensions for failure to pay and failure to appear for traffic violations. The bill also prohibits the suspension or restriction of driving …

Driving for Opportunity Act of 2021

The act permits the Attorney General to make grants to states in order to cover the costs of reinstating driver’s licenses previously suspended for unpaid fines and fees. The bill …

Seattle receives national recognition for preventing crashes with lower speed limits

The Seattle Department of Transportation recently reduced speed limits to 25 mph, resulting in a 22 percent decrease in crashes. In addition to reducing speed limits, the city increased speed …

Traffic Tickets Plunged in Florida. It May Mean Painful Budget Cuts for Many Services

Florida’s dependence on fines and fees revenue has led to budget cuts for many services as traffic tickets have plunged since March 2020. Revenue from mostly traffic tickets helps pay …

Layaway Freedom: Coercive Financialization in the Criminal Legal System

Using data from courtroom observations and interviews with court actors and people paying their court debt in Illinois, the authors study financialization in the criminal legal system, including the practice …

Imposition And Collection Of Fines, Costs, And Restitution In Pennsylvania Criminal Courts

This research shows how court fines, fees, and restitution affect public defender clients differently than private counsel clients in Pennsylvania criminal courts.

Fees, Fines and Criminal Justice In Tennessee: How It All Works and Why It Matters

In Tennessee, fines and fees are used as both a punishment and a way to fund the justice system and other specific services. This report details the fines and fees …

The Broad Scope and Variation of Monetary Sanctions: Evidence from Eight States

This study describes the findings from the Multi-state study of Monetary Sanctions, examining the systems of monetary sanctions operating in California, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Texas and Washington. …

Fiscal Pressures, the Great Recession, and Monetary Sanctions in Washington Courts

Using data from all municipal and district courts in Washington between 2000 and 2014, where a fine, fee, cost, or other legal financial obligation (LFO) was imposed, the author analyzes …