Locked In, Priced Out
Prison commissaries nationwide are inconsistent in their pricing. The Appeal underwent a nine-month investigation to collect commissary prices and markups from 46 states and created the first national database of …
In Debt Due to Your Own Arrest? The Truth About Fines & Fees
NowThis, in collaboration with Galaxy Gives and Reform Alliance, created a short video detailing how Americans face criminal justice debt. Americans face millions of dollars of debt each year from …
Priced Out: A 50-State Survey of How Diversion Fees Create Unequal Justice
The Fines and Fees Justice Center examined legislative authorization and statewide court rules in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine whether statutory provisions explicitly authorize or permit diversion program fees and, if so, whether they establish guidance or limits on what may be charged.
Providing Labor Market Context For Debt-Related Driver’s License Suspensions In Ohio
Debt-related suspensions (DRS) are the most common reason for driver’s license suspension in Ohio. As the need for a valid driver’s license increases as a condition of employment across all …
If You Can’t Afford an Attorney, One Will Be Appointed. And You May Get a Huge Bill
Although the majority of states try to recoup counsel fees for indigent defenders, Iowa charges some of the highest fees. Even in cases where individuals are acquitted, or charges are …
Penalizing the Poor: An Assessment of the Administration of Fines and Fees in Florida Misdemeanor Courts
Florida courts’ fine and fee procedures punish people for being poor. In 2018, the American Bar Association (ABA) developed guidance on fairly administering court fines and fees to ensure people …
Prison disciplinary fines only further impoverish incarcerated people and families
At least one third of prison systems in the United States charge fines as punishment for a rule violation. The issuance of fines and fees for rules violations do not …
Washtenaw County Fines and Fees Justice Report
In August of 2022, Washtenaw County was selected to participate in the Cities and Counties for Fines and Fees Justice (CCFFJ) cohort led by the Fines and Fees Justice Center, …
Paying the Price New Mexico’s Practice Of Arresting And Incarcerating People For Nonpayment Of Court Debt
In a two-tiered criminal legal system, those with the resources to settle court-imposed debt result in a quick resolution of the case, but those without financial resources and social status …
A Matter of Time: The Case For Shortening Criminal Debt Collection Statutes of Limitations, A 50-State Survey
Legal financial obligations (LFO) can trap people in poverty and the legal system. When reducing the amount of debt people owe is not a viable option, reducing the length of …