Research Archives - Page 27 of 43 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Think Debtors Prisons Are a Thing of the Past? Not in Mississippi.

The authors of this feature report detail the lived experiences of poor people sentenced to Mississippi’s restitution centers while they work to earn money to pay off court-ordered debts.

If We Only Knew the Cost: Scratching the Surface on How Much it Costs to Assess and Collect Court Imposed Criminal Fines and Fees

This report investigates the amount of time and resources the court system spends to assess and collect criminal fines and fees.

Can’t Win For Losing – How Institutions and Policies Keep Arkansans in Debt

This report presents the findings from an Arkansas Community Institute survey concerning the household debt of Pulaski and Jefferson county residents.

Monetary Sanctions: Legal Financial Obligations in US Systems of Justice

This review provides a historical background of court fines and fees and shows how these costs affect people present day.

Special Report: How a legal system dependent on fines, fees affects Oklahomans

This five-part series uses personal accounts from Oklahomans to show how fines and fees negatively affect people who cannot afford them.

Paying for Jail: How County Jails Extract Wealth from New York Communities

This report examines the burdensome costs of phone calls, commissary, and disciplinary tickets assessed by New York jails, specifically those outside of New York City.

Driving on Empty: Florida’s Counterproductive and Costly Driver’s License Suspension Practices

Driving on Empty shows how driver’s license suspension for nonpayment in Florida detracts from public safety, and outlines the racial and economic disparities perpetuated by this practice.

Taxation by Citation? Exploring Local Governments’ Revenue Motive for Traffic Fines

In 1977 California counties received 74 percent of their own-source general funds from property tax, but after Proposition 13, counties’ property tax decreased by over 50 percent. Since the passage …

The Steep Costs of Criminal Justice Fees and Fines, A Fiscal Analysis of Three States and Ten Counties

This Brennan Center research report analyzes the numerous disadvantages of the current criminal justice fine and fee systems of ten counties in Texas, Florida, and New Mexico.

Costs of Injustice: How Criminal System Fees Are Hurting Los Angeles County Families

This report shares the life experiences of Los Angeles County residents to illustrate how criminal justice fines and fees assessed by the County can be overly burdensome and punitive.