National Archives - Page 6 of 20 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Reimagining Restitution: New Approaches to Support Youth and Communities

Courts began ordering youth restitution in the 1960s as a less restrictive sanction than probation or incarceration for mostly white youth. Since then, restitution has been linked to higher recidivism …

Revenue Over Public Safety

Economic and financial incentives for law enforcement, state, local and federal governments, and for-profit private corporations have fueled punitive enforcement and mass incarceration. This report details economic incentives that are …

Justice by Geography: The Role of Monetary Sanctions Across Communities

Although state statutes often dictate the amount of fines and fees imposed, local courts have significant discretion in how they carry out the laws and there is variation between courts …

At What Cost? Findings from an Examination into the Imposition of Public Defense System Fees

In the United States, there is a constitutional right to counsel for defendants who cannot afford a private attorney when facing a charge where, if convicted, they may lose their …

The Constitutionality of Income-Based Fines

The current financial consequences for low-income offenders often lead to cycles of debt and jail, while high-income individuals can break the law without meaningful financial consequences. Although imposing fines regardless …

A Debt of Care: Commercial Bail and the Gendered Logic of Criminal Justice Predation

Commercial bail extracts millions of dollars from justice-involved individuals and their families every year, but little research exists on the inner working and operational processes of the bail industry. Associate …

Small Fines And Fees, Large Impacts: Ability-To-Pay Hearings

Excessive fines and fees on low-income people threaten our criminal justice system and violate the Constitution’s Due Process and Excessive Fines Clauses. The Fourteenth and Eighth amendment requires courts to …

Forcing People To Pay For Being Locked Up Remains Common

Across all 50 states, states and municipalities charge children and adults for their incarceration. Some states sue incarcerated individuals for the total cost of incarceration, often ranging from $10,000 to …

Debt-Based License Suspensions: Drivers of Poverty and Incarceration

Jurisdictions nationwide suspend driver’s licenses for nonpayment of fines and fees unrelated to traffic safety. The suspensions pose significant challenges for the approximately 11 million Americans affected, particularly those in …

Estimating the Earnings Loss Associated With a Criminal Record and Suspended Driver’s License

Contact with the criminal legal system and sanctions such as driver’s license suspensions can result in limited employment opportunities and have lifelong impacts on a person’s potential earnings. To advance …