Local Work
Unjust fines and fees practices directly impact every community differently and cannot be fixed with a single new state law or policy. Meaningful reform must happen at the local level as well as the state level.
FFJC drives local reform by partnering with local governments, law enforcement agencies, community groups, and organizations. We offer specialized technical assistance and strategic support to local authorities and leaders dedicated to systemic change.
Our local advocacy serves as a vital engine for broader, scalable reform. It helps us understand and address the unique hurdles facing individual communities, while at the same time allowing us to use our successes to create scalable roadmaps that broaden the reach of fines and fees reform nationwide.
Local Victories
Cities and Counties for Fine and Fee Justice
FFJC’s previously supported local reforms through our partnership with Results for America and the San Francisco Financial Justice Project to lead Cities & Counties for Fine and Fee Justice (CCFFJ), a national leadership network focused on meaningful local fines and fees reform. Through this initiative, two cohorts of leaders successfully engaged with CCFFJ to enact bold reforms in their jurisdictions. These reforms included eliminating in-custody fees, ending local debt-based driver’s license suspensions, reducing court fees and surcharges, dismissing decades-old warrants, and reducing other fees that exceeded people’s ability to pay.
FFJC maintains its commitment to local reform as part of our technical assistance strategy through our direct support to jurisdictions across the country.
How Miami-Dade County Led on Local Fee Elimination
Beyond the Bars advocates and local policymakers from Miami-Dade discuss how they eliminated jail fees, jail phone call fees and wiped out $100 million in jail debt.
How Washtenaw County Led On Fine and Fee Reform
See how local leaders in Washtenaw County implemented a policy to eliminate over $2000 in court costs and attorney fees for individuals who qualify for assigned counsel.
Resources
Roadmap to Bold and Equitable Fine and Fee Reform
Drawing from FFJC’s on-the-ground advocacy work and behind-the-scenes expertise, this guide provides local leaders with an outline of all the basic elements required to assess and reform fines and fees in their jurisdiction. This guide also includes a detailed list of the local fee elimination reforms. Read and download the full roadmap here.