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Fines and Financial Wellbeing

Unplanned financial shocks can have long-term effects on household finances. This article explores whether households can absorb unanticipated shocks by estimating the impacts of fines for traffic violations on household …

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 …

High-Frequency Location Data Shows That Race Affects The Likelihood of Being Stopped and Fined For Speeding

Prior research on race, speeding, and citations has focused on the effects of a driver’s race on the punishment received, never exploring whether race could also influence the probability of …

New Florida Law Offers More Affordable Payment Plan For Court-Ordered Fees

In Florida, 70 percent of the millions of people with suspended driver’s licenses are due to unpaid fines and fees. Under a new Florida law, Floridians with outstanding court fees …

Dreams Deferred: The Impact of Juvenile Fees on Florida’s Children, Families, and Future

This report outlines the catastrophic consequences of juvenile fee debt for Florida’s children, families, and economy including: increased poverty, increased recidivism, and the exacerbation of racial disparities in the justice system.

FL SB 870: Driver License Suspensions

Florida Senator Shevrin Jones introduced legislation that would eliminate provisions requiring the suspension of a driver’s license for failure to pay fines and fees for a traffic infraction or criminal …

Florida HB257: An act relating to the elimination of court-related financial obligations for juveniles

The Florida legislature recently introduced a bill eliminating fees assessed to juveniles. Balances of any court fees owed by a child, young adult, or a child’s parent or legal guardian …

Fines Prevent Too Many People From Voting In Florida

In 2018, Floridians approved the constitutional amendment to restore voting rights to nearly everyone with a criminal record upon completion of their sentence. 1.4 million people became eligible to vote …

The Future of Felon Disenfranchisement Reform: Evidence from the Campaign to Restore Voting Rights in Florida

In 2018, Amendment 4 sought to end felon disenfranchisement in Florida. This article outlines the history of Amendment 4 and shows how unpaid fines and fees undermined the campaign’s efforts. …