News

Beyond Graduation: Economic Sanctions and Structural Reform

As jurisdictions become more aware of the negative consequences of imposing unmanageable financial sanctions, there has been an increase in the number of jurisdictions that are implementing or adopting graduated …

How California Jails and Youth Lockups Profit off Incarcerated People & Their Families

In partnership with the Young Women’s Freedom Center and the Children’s Defense Fund of California, the San Francisco Financial Justice Project examined the costs of phone calls in youth lockups …

The Relationship Between Debt and Crime: A Systematic and Scoping Review

In a first of its kind, this study explores the relationship between debt and crime among adolescents and adults. The two-part study includes a systematic review of five studies that …

Who Does America Want?

This paper details the fines and fees imposed on people for traffic offenses in Connecticut, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia, and immigration-related fees imposed on people seeking citizenship in the US.

Clearing the Path to a New Beginning: A Guide To Discharging Criminal Justice Debt In Bankruptcy

This guide outlines how criminal justice debt may be treated in Chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcy and details the types of fines, fees, and costs that can and cannot be discharged through Bankruptcy.

Behavioral Nudges Reduce Failure to Appear for Court

In two large field studies, the authors evaluate interventions to make defendants more aware of court information. In the first, the summons was redesigned to move court information to the …

Price of Justice- Challenging the Future of Fines and Fees

This report summarizes the progress five states made in fines and fees reform, the challenges they experienced, and guidance for other jurisdictions interested in reforming their court systems.

Pocketbook Policing: How race shapes municipal reliance on punitive fines and fees in the Chicago suburbs

Using data from Chicagoland's suburbs, the authors explain why Black suburban municipalities are driven to rely on fines and fees to address budget shortfalls unlike officials of suburbs with different racial make-ups.

California AB 1869 Criminal fees

This bill repeals the authority of counties to charge defendants for 23 of the most harmful fees imposed in the criminal legal system including, administering probation and mandatory supervision, processing …

California Senate Bill 555

This bill aims to eliminate the high costs of jail phone calls, video visits and other electronic communications. The bill would also regulate the prices of hygiene products and food …