Reforming the Shadow Carceral State
Pay-to-stay fees are daily costs imposed on currently or formerly incarcerated people to cover the costs of their own incarceration. Using the repeal of pay-to-stay fees in Illinois as a …
Improving Traffic Ticket Outcomes
Costly fines and fees from traffic citations disproportionately burden low income people with debt they cannot afford. To reduce the burden, California created MyCitations, an online ability-to-pay system. Between July …
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 …
Public Opinion Survey about Alternatives to Financial Restitution
Building on a study which found that the harms caused by the crime and the restitution process rarely align, the authors administered a survey to 4200 respondents to assess public …
The Conservative Case For Fines And Fees Reform
The current criminal and civil fine and fee system in the United States should concern conservatives. This report shows how this system violates four core conservative principles: individual freedom and …
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 …
Fact Sheet: Unpacking The Latest Fines and Fees Trends Across Georgia
In Georgia, local governments that rely heavily on fines and fees end up criminalizing residents who struggle to pay, with the burden falling hardest on communities with high poverty rates …
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 …
Ability to Pay: Closing the Access to Justice Gap with Policy Solutions for Unaffordable Fines and Fees
Financial circumstances heavily influence an individual’s access to justice, especially when it comes to the fines and fees imposed by the justice system. These costs contribute to a two-tiered justice …
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, …