Court Fines And Fees: Criminalizing Poverty In North Carolina
In the last 20 years, criminal and court fees have increased by 400 percent in North Carolina, and a large sum is disbursed to the state General Fund, which the …
Unequal Justice Bail and Modern Day Debtors’ Prison in Nebraska
The imposition of bail and monetary sanctions on indigent Nebraskans has led to individuals held pretrial making up half of the state’s local jail populations, and others sitting out their …
Punishing Poverty: The high cost of probation fees in Massachusetts
Massachusetts’ probation fees disproportionately impact low-income communities and make it harder for people to succeed. People who can least afford additional fees are more likely to be on probation and …
Reinventing Community Corrections
This article discusses the history of criminal justice supervision and why parole and probation is an afterthought to some stakeholders when they consider rehabilitation programs for people convicted of crimes.
Out of Ferguson: Misdemeanors, Municipal Courts, Tax Distribution and Constitutional Limitations
In this five-part research paper, Professors from Saint Louis University’s School of Law examine the “economic impact of discriminatory municipal law enforcement” in St. Louis County, Missouri.
The Right to Counsel in Indiana: Evaluation of Trial Level Indigent Defender Services
In Indiana, federal and state constitutions entitle all adults or children found to be indigent and facing the possibility of incarceration on misdemeanors or felonies, the right to public counsel. …
Denial of the Right to Counsel in Misdemeanor Cases: Court Watching in Nashville, Tennessee
ArchCity Defenders organized a court watching program at the Davidson County General Sessions Criminal Court in Nashville on Monday, September 12, 2016. The goal of the program was to learn more about the administration of right to counsel in misdemeanor courts in Nashville, and to learn if defendants were being incarcerated for inability to pay fines and fees.
Who Pays for Government? Descriptive Representation and Exploitative Revenue Sources
This study found that cities with larger black populations are more likely to use fines to generate revenue, but black legislators reverse that pattern.
Research Note: Justice System–Imposed Financial Penalties Increase the Likelihood of Recidivism in a Sample of Adolescent Offenders
The authors of this study analyze the effects of financial penalties (fines, fees, and restitution) two years after being imposed on 1,167 youth with a supervision status of adjudicated delinquent …
Confronting Criminal Justice Debt: The Urgent Need for Comprehensive Reform
This report is the first publication in a three-part series entitled “Confronting Criminal Justice Debt: A Comprehensive Project for Reform.” It provides an overview of the many types of fines and fees that the criminal justice system imposes and the collateral consequences that can result from them, with a particular emphasis on racial and economic disparities.