50 State Survey: Probation and Parole Fees
A state-by-state look at the scope of probation and parole supervision fees, programming fees, and consequences for failure to pay.
Policing-for-Profit Undermines Public Safety. This Town Shows A Better Way
Relying on tickets to fund government is counterproductive to public safety and can erode trust between community and law enforcement while worsening long-standing economic inequalities when residents can’t afford to …
Estimating the Earnings Loss Associated With a Criminal Record and Suspended Driver’s License
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. To advance …
Local Policy Guide: Fee Elimination and Debt Relief
This local policy guide gives local leaders a recommended process for eliminating fees via local legislation, budgetary processes and through the courts.
Miles v. Craighead County
Issue: Whether costs and fees collected in amounts greater than what is permitted by law constitutes an illegal exaction. Holding: Yes, charging costs and fees not permitted by law …
Fowler v. Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System
Fowler v. Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System 623 S.W.3d 578 (2021) Issue: Whether the statute allowing counties and municipal courts to assess and collect a $3 surcharge that goes towards the Missouri …
The New Due Process: Fairness in a Fee-Driven State
Courts, prosecutors, and law enforcement work together to assess and collect fines, fees, and forfeitures that fund the justice system – a conflict of interest and a violation of due …
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 …
Oklahoma SB 1458
Oklahoma introduced a bill that if passed would eliminate certain executive agency fees. Key Provisions: Eliminates the additional fee charged to any person convicted of an offense punishable by a …
Why We Need to Stop Suspending and Revoking Driver’s Licenses Due to Debt
The Prosperity Now Scorecard rates states on their progress toward racial economic justice in several policy areas. The 2022 policy update includes an assessment of which states have ended the …