Who Must Pay to Regain the Vote? A 50-State Survey
This report analyzes state voting laws to show how fines and fees are used to determine if a person can regain the right to vote after getting convicted of a felony.
News
Overdue for Justice: An Assessment of Access to and Quality of Juvenile Defense Counsel in Michigan
Michigan’s constitution mandates that every young person receive legal representation, yet the state currently ranks 44th out of 50 in per capita indigent defense spending. The National Juvenile Defender Center …
Personal Narrative: Lakysha
Lakysha Bradley's driver's license has been suspended since 2007. A payment plan granted her temporary relief, but she defaulted on her payments shortly after because she could not afford them. Having a driver's license would enable Lakysha to pursue a more financially stable life and spend more time with her family.
Trapped: Most States Let Courts Fine Teenagers. The Debt is Taking Down their Whole Families.
This article examines the use of hefty punishment fines and the impact of those fines, and fees, on families. The article highlights the story of a New Jersey teen locked …
Escaping the Long Arm of the Law? Racial Disparities in the Effect of Failure-to- Pay License Suspension
This paper studies the unintended consequences of suspending driver’s licenses for failure to pay by examining the effect of suspension on the likelihood of receiving future tickets. Researchers followed defendants …
Paying on Probation: How Financial Sanctions Intersect with Probation to Target, Trap, and Punish People Who Cannot Pay
This report shows how payment of fines and fees and supervision costs can affect a person's ability to complete their probation sentence.
Privatization of Services in the Criminal Justice System
Privatization throughout the justice system has exacerbated the cycle of mandatory fees, nonpayment, and consequent additional fees. Private companies, often with little to no oversight, can have economic incentives to …
Day Fines Systems: Lessons from Global Practice
Many European countries use day fines as an alternative to short-term incarceration. With day fines, fines are proportional to a defendant’s income, allowing for higher fines for wealthy offenders and …
Overdue for Justice: An Assessment of Access to and Quality of Juvenile Defense Counsel in Michigan
This report discusses the experience of youth involved in Michigan's juvenile justice system, including access and quality of representation, funding, and oversight of courts.
The Limits of Fairer Fines: Lessons from Germany
To combat the significant number of low level cases being sentenced to short periods of incarceration, Germany increased their use of fines, shortly thereafter adopting day fines to ensure that …