National Archives - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Diversion Without Debt: Case Studies from Three County Prosecutors Leading Fee Reform

Diversion programs offer an early off-ramp from the criminal legal system, providing accountability while reducing recidivism and enhancing public safety. However, the imposition of diversion program costs and fees undermines …

Ellinburg v. United States

Issue Whether restitution under the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act (MVRA) is legally a criminal punishment. Holding Restitution under the MVRA is plainly criminal punishment for purposes of the Ex Post …

How Cities are Rethinking Fines and Fees to Strengthen Residents’ Economic Stability

Cities across the country have a duty to their residents to promote economic mobility. The National League of Cities launched the Cities Addressing Fines and Fees Equitably Initiative (CAFFE) to …

Fines, Fees, and Financial Strain: Challenges for State and Local Governments in a Time of Fiscal Uncertainty

Though utilized as a routine source of revenue for many state and local governments, increasing reliance on fines and fees to fill budget gaps and raise additional revenue as a …

Hope after Harm: An Evaluation of State Victim Compensation Statutes

In 1984, Congress passed the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) which established the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) to provide financial support to state crime victim compensation programs and victim service …

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 …