Research Archives - Page 7 of 43 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Punishing the Poor: An Assessment of the Administration of Fines and Fees in New Mexico Misdemeanor Courts

Low-income people in New Mexico accused of minor crimes are often caught in a vicious cycle where they are jailed because they can’t afford to pay monetary sanctions. In 2018, …

Stepping on the Gas: Accelerating Florida’s Growth by Restoring the Freedom to Drive

Introduction If you’re a hard-working, safe driver who’s struggling to make a fine or fee payment, Florida can take your license and, with it, your ability to drive and work. …

A Statewide Analysis of the Impact of Restitution and Fees on Juvenile Recidivism in Florida Across Race & Ethnicity

Introduction Every young person who comes into contact with Florida’s courts — regardless of guilt or innocence — is saddled with fees. Florida law authorizes 31 different court fees, costs …

State Debt-Based Driver’s License Suspension Laws

Depending on the state’s statute, a driver can lose their license for unpaid amounts arising from criminal fines or fees, civil fines or fees, child support, taxes, tolls, or a …

State Debt-Based Car Registration Suspension Laws

Each state has a law permitting the nonrenewal or cancellation of a car registration for nonpayment of a debt to the state or arising from a state-controlled system. Because every …

Auto-Jubilee: A Case for Massive Automatic Driver’s License Restoration for Debtor-Suspendees

Driver’s license suspension is increasingly employed as a punitive measure for non-driving offenses such as failure to appear or failure to comply with court orders, including orders to pay fines …

Police Killings and Municipal Reliance on Fine-and-Fee Revenue

Between 2016 and 2021, more than 400 unarmed people were killed by police during traffic stops. In addition, metropolitan areas that rely more on revenue from fines and fees experience …

Interim Survey Results: The Impact of New Mexico’s Fines and Fees

FFJC took a mixed-methods research approach to understand the burden of fines and fees on economically vulnerable New Mexicans. FFJC New Mexico, in partnership with the New Mexico Advisory Board on Fines and Fees and ACLU New Mexico, administered a state-wide survey to gather data on New Mexicans’ experiences with court debt and the state’s criminal fine and fee system.

Fines and Fees: Consequences and Opportunities for Reform

The utilization of fines and fees in the criminal legal system for revenue generation raises substantial questions regarding equity and may create perverse incentives for government entities dependent on the …

Local Governments Collected $9 Billion in Fines And Fees in 2020

The use of fines and fees to generate revenue can be exploitative and a conflict of interest when relied on as an essential source of revenue. Using data from the …