National Archives - Page 16 of 21 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Smart on Crime Innovations Conference panel, “Eliminating User Fees: Just and Fair Ways to Fund the Justice System”

FFJC Co-Director Joanna Weiss participated in a Smart on Crime Innovations Conference panel about eliminating “user fees” in the justice system.

Ten Guidelines on Court Fines and Fees

The American Bar Association developed ten guidelines to ensure that fines and fees do not punish people disproportionately for their poverty.

The Price of Justice: The High Cost of “Free” Counsel for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

This report documents that the families of children charged with crimes are forced to pay for the cost of legal counsel in all but 10 U.S. states – despite the Constitution’s guarantee that young people who are indigent are entitled to court-appointed counsel.

How Fines and Fees Criminalize Poverty: Explained

Fines and fees are levied at every stage of the criminal justice system. People who are poor and unable to pay them are criminalized and face many collateral consequences in …

Why journalists should cover local jails

In this article for The Poynter Institute, Al Tompkins underscores the importance of journalists covering local jails and suggests several coverage angles that journalists can use to convince readers to care more about incarceration at the local level.

Abstention in the Time of Ferguson

The author argues for an exception to the Younger v. Harris, 401 U.S. 37 (1971) abstention doctrine (Younger abstention) in cases challenging the criminalization of poverty.

Why does the US still have ‘debtors’ prisons’?

This video describes how people, especially those of fewer means, can be jailed for unpaid court fines and fees.

Report on the Special Report on extreme poverty and human rights on his mission to the United States

This report presents the findings from a visit to the United States by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty, Philip Alston. He evaluated government programs and policies aimed to address extreme poverty according to the United States' human rights obligations.

Resolution Addressing Fines, Fees, and Costs in Juvenile Courts [Resolution and Bench Card]

The National Council of Juvenile Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) passed a resolution advocating for the reduction or elimination of fines and fees in juvenile courts. The resolution was published alongside a judicial bench card that outlines types of financial obligations that youth and families may encounter in juvenile and family court, details the impacts of those obligations, and explains how judges can address fines and fees in their own courtrooms. The bench card includes several practice recommendations for juvenile and family court judges.

A Pound of Flesh- The Criminalization of Private Debt

This report exposes how the private debt collection industry uses the court system to coerce payment from people, many of whom cannot afford to pay their debts.