National Archives - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Imposing Instability: How Court Fines and Fees Destabilize Government Budgets and Criminalize Those Who Cannot Pay

In a first-of-its-kind report, the Fines and Fees Justice Center looks at the amount of criminal, juvenile, municipal, and traffic fines and fees imposed by courts nationwide and compares those …

Ability to Pay and the Affordability of Fines and Fees

Using data from the Urban Institute’s 2024 Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey, the Tax Policy Center produced a factsheet examining the prevalence of ability to pay inquiries and affordability options. …

We Can’t Afford It: Mass Incarceration and The Family Tax

This mixed-methods report quantifies the financial costs incurred by families when a loved one is incarcerated. Drawing on a nationally representative survey of adults with an immediate family member incarcerated …

Paying for One’s Own Incarceration: National Landscape of Pay to Stay Fees

Pay-to-stay fees, also referred to as costs of incarceration, cost of care, cost of support, or room and board, are the costs charged to individuals for their incarceration. They may …

Impact of Debt-Based License Suspension Reform on Statewide Employment

Millions of drivers have had their licenses suspended for unpaid traffic, toll, misdemeanor and felony fines and fees, often impacting their ability to earn. In this study, researchers looked at …

Guide to New Low Rates and Consumer Protections for Incarcerated People’s Communications Services

Effective January 1, 2025, the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act expands and clarifies the scope of the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) authority over incarcerated people’s communications services. To …

Our Anemic Excessive Fines Clause: Are State Courts Following the Federal Lead?

The Supreme Court’s 2019 decision in Timbs v. Indiana was hailed by many as a watershed moment for a more expansive use of the Eight Amendment’s Excessive Fines Clause. Although …

Seizing the Safety Net: Collecting Criminal Justice Debt with Tax Refund Offsets

Focusing on Kansas as a case study, this report examines how federal and state governments seize income tax refunds to collect and pay off (“offset”) criminal justice debt. These tax …

Paying for the Right to Counsel: National Survey Findings on the Practice of Charging Public Defense Fees to Clients

The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to counsel, and the Supreme Court has held that the Sixth Amendment requires states to provide a lawyer if a defendant cannot afford one. …

Five Facts about Fines and Fees Revenues

This brief summarizes the latest data from the US Census Bureau on where and to what extent places are relying on fine and fee revenue. Key Findings: Fiscal year 2022 …