Reforming the Shadow Carceral State
Pay-to-stay fees are daily costs imposed on currently or formerly incarcerated people to cover the costs of their own incarceration. Using the repeal of pay-to-stay fees in Illinois as a …
Beyond Social Determinants: Fiscal Determinants of Overdose Death in U.S Counties, 2017–2020
Rising overdose-related deaths have prompted many to explore what factors make some communities more severely affected than others. This report presents findings from a first-of-its-kind national study examining how county-level …
Beyond Enforcement: Prioritizing Safety in Federal Transportation Funding
The Department of Transportation (DOT) provides grants for traffic safety measures, but its reporting requirements often prioritize enforcement metrics over strategies to reduce traffic crashes and fatalities. This white paper …
The Conservative Case For Fines And Fees Reform
The current criminal and civil fine and fee system in the United States should concern conservatives. This report shows how this system violates four core conservative principles: individual freedom and …
Medical Debt Behind Bars The Punishing Impact of Copays, Fees, and Other Carceral Medical Debt
Early intervention is essential for improving health outcomes, but medical fees often prevent individuals from seeking timely treatment, leading to more severe health emergencies. This issue is especially problematic for …
Ability to Pay: Closing the Access to Justice Gap with Policy Solutions for Unaffordable Fines and Fees
Financial circumstances heavily influence an individual’s access to justice, especially when it comes to the fines and fees imposed by the justice system. These costs contribute to a two-tiered justice …
How Fines and Fees Impact Family Well-Being
Fines and fees, imposed at every level of the criminal legal system, significantly affect the well-being of families. Using data from the Urban Institute’s 2023 Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey, …
Health, Access to Care, and Financial Barriers to Care Among People Incarcerated in US Prisons
Prison residents often come from communities with high poverty and poor health. More than 60 percent of prison residents in the United States have a chronic physical condition and more …
The Long-Term Impact of Debt Relief For Indigent Defendants in a Misdemeanor Court
A follow-up study to Criminalizing Poverty: The Consequences of Court Fees in a Randomized Experiment, confirms what many have long argued—court fines and fees do not deter crime. Instead, they …
Reframing The Debate on Legal Financial Obligations and Crime: How Accruing Monetary Sanctions Impacts Recidivism
As the use of legal financial obligations (LFOs) continues to grow, researchers have identified a need to better understand the long-term impacts on justice-involved individuals. Using data on monetary sanctions, …